Ashton Memorial
Folly Lancaster Lancashire

Ashton Memorial

Folly In Lancaster, Lancashire

A 50m high memorial in Williamson Park commissioned by Lord Ashton in memory of his second wife.

Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster

Up until now I always thought that the Monteath Mausoleum was the grandest of places to be immortalised, however I think it may have just been beaten in Mausoleum Top Trumps by the Ashton Memorial in Lancaster.

This huge memorial sits a whopping 50m high and dominates the skyline as you drive into Lancaster. We initially thought it must have been a fancy church, not realising it was the place we were actually looking for.

Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster

The Ashton Memorial was between 1907 and 1909 and was commissioned by a local chap called Lord Ashton in memory to his second wife Jessy Ashton. Lord Ashton whose real name was James Williamson also gives his name to Williamson Park where the memorial sits.

Lord Ashton was a prominent local industrialist who made his fortune in the linoleum manufacturing industry, becoming one of Lancashire's wealthiest individuals. His business, Williamson's Linoleum Works, was at one time the largest employer in Lancaster.

Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster

His Lord Ashton title was due to his association with the Ashton Hall estate near Lancaster. Although he was not a hereditary peer, he was granted the honorary title of Baron Ashton of Ashton in 1895 in recognition of his contributions to the local economy and his status as a prominent public figure. Despite his title, he did not hold political office in the House of Lords as he chose not to sit as a peer.

Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster
Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster

The cost to build the Ashton Memorial was approximately £80,000 which equates to a cool couple of million in modern money. It was designed by the architect John Belcher and is built primarily from Portland stone and Cornish granite with a copper dome and (I have been told) is a blend of Baroque and Renaissance revival styles. It has intricate designs inside and out including allegorical figures representing Commerce, Science, Industry, and Art.

The interior is canny impressive too with a marble floor and sweeping staircase. We arrived late and the building had just closed, but you can visit inside for a mooch as far as the first floor viewing gallery.

Fortunately Sean, one of our other contributors, visited when it was still open.

He also got some fab night time shots too.

You can actually hire out the Ashton Memorial for a concert, exhibition or even your wedding!

It's a canny building to be remembered by so I'd better get saving my pennies. Oh, and I want mine built on top of the Cheviot too!

Ashton Memorial In Williamson Park, Lancaster
  Add To Bucket List   I Have Visited This Place

Get 2 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 8 VIPs.

Login to the VIP area to add places to your bucket list, mark them as visited and more importantly see where you rank on the league table.

How To Find Ashton Memorial

Where Is Ashton Memorial?

Show Place On Google Maps

Lat / Long

54.045265, -2.782548

What three words

middle.repeating.pool

Where To Park For Ashton Memorial?

Show Parking On Google Maps

Lat / Long

54.043001, -2.784064

What three words

hydration.seabirds.views

There is a dedicated car park for Williamson Park just to the south and only a few minute walk away from the memorial.

Contributed by Simon Hawkins

Thanks for checking out this place on the Fabulous North! I do enjoy a wander out in to the countryside trying to find hidden gems that not many people know about. You can't beat a rogue pele tower up a remote hill, a mysterious stone circle or a stunning waterfall secluded in a forest.

More Places from Simon
Simon Hawkins

More Places In Lancaster

Find more fabulous places in Lancaster, Lancashire and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.

Lune Aqueduct
Lune Aqueduct
Bridge Lancaster Lancashire

A Georgian Grade I Listed aqueduct, the largest all-masonry aqueduct in Britain taking the Lancaster Canal over the River Lune.

More Follies

So this folly wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.

Dunmore Pineapple
Dunmore Pineapple
Folly Falkirk Scotland

A magnificent pineapple-topped folly located in Dunmore Park near Falkirk.

Jenny’s Lantern Folly
Jenny’s Lantern Folly
Folly Alnwick Northumberland

A ruin of a folly shaped like a shepherd's hut on the Alnwick moors.

Druid's Temple
Druid's Temple
Folly Ripon North Yorkshire

A folly based on Stonehenge with two large stone circles, an altar, sacrificial stone and a tomb area.

Never Miss A Fabulous Place

If you are afraid of missing out on all the fabulous places we post, or just want to be the first to know, then sign up to the Fabulous North.

Each week we will email you all the brand new places that we visit.

Sign Up To Alerts
Sign up to newsletter
Fabulous North On Facebook

Find Us On Facebook

We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.

Join Our Facebook Group

Ashton Memorial was listed in Folly // Lancashire // Lancaster