On the main street through Waterloo Mr Monkey visited the Musée Wellington. On the evening before the battle of Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington lodged here (it was an inn, not a museum, then). After the battle, which actually took place 4km down the road, Wellington came back to the inn and wrote a letter to the British government telling them he'd defeated Napoleon, giving the battle its English name*. The museum is full of artefacts, models and paintings about the armies and events of the battle, and a number of British officers are buried in the courtyard at the back.
You're not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, so Mr Monkey stood in front of a postcard showing the room Wellington made his plans in. They've got a model of Wellington sitting planning in the chair now.
You can read about the Musée Wellington at the Wellington Museum website and read Wellington's despatch at the War Times Journal website.
* The French think Napoleon lost the Battle of Mont St Jean, and the Prussians thought they fought in the Battle of La Belle Alliance.
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 10 July 2005