Ashton Memorial

Ashton Memorial
The Ashton Memorial at the top of Williamson Park
Location within Lancaster
General information
Type	Folly
Architectural style	Edwardian Baroque
Location	Williamson Park
Town or city	Lancaster, Lancashire
Country	England
Coordinates	54°02′43″N 2°46′56″W / 54.04526°N 2.78227°W / 54.04526; -2.78227
Construction started	1907
Completed	1909
Cost	Over £80,000
Owner	Lancaster City Council
Height	About 150 ft (50 m)
Technical details
Material	Portland stone
Design and construction
Architect(s)	John Belcher
Designations
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated	22 December 1953
Reference no.	1288429
Website
www.lancaster.gov.uk/sports-and-leisure/parks-and-open-spaces/williamson-park/ashton-memorial/

The Ashton Memorial is a folly in Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancashire, England built between 1907 and 1909 by the millionaire industrialist Lord Ashton in memory of his second wife, Jessy, at a cost of £87,000^[1] (equivalent to £10.5 million in 2023).^[2]

At around 150 feet (50 m) tall, it dominates the Lancaster skyline and is visible for many miles around, and has views of the surrounding area including Morecambe Bay. The building is in the Edwardian Baroque style and was designed by John Belcher. It has been described as "England's grandest folly" and the "Taj Mahal of the North".^[3] The dome is externally of copper, the main stone used is Portland stone; however, the steps are of hard-wearing granite from Cornwall.

The external stonework is hung on a steel frame as found in modern buildings and only forms a weatherproof covering without being loadbearing. In recent times this steelwork has caused problems for the conservation of the building. Externally around the dome are sculptures representing "Commerce", "Science", "Industry" and "Art" by Herbert Hampton, who was also responsible for the design of the Queen Victoria Memorial, Lancaster commissioned by James Williamson, 1st Baron Ashton the previous year. The interior of the dome has allegorical paintings of "Commerce", "Art" and "History" by George Murray. The floor is of white, black and red marble.

Today, the memorial serves as an exhibition space on the upper floor and a venue for concerts and weddings.

The Ashton Memorial stands coincidentally close to the mathematical centre point of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, excluding the Isle of Man. See Centre points of the United Kingdom.

• 
  The Ashton Memorial close up
• 
  The Ashton Memorial seen from Lancaster city centre, with the spire of Lancaster Cathedral
• 
  The entrance to the memorial
• 
  An interior view of the Ashton Memorial
• 
  The Ashton Memorial on top of Williamson Park, about 150 ft (50 m) tall and completed in 1909
• 
  The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, Lancaster can be seen from the M6 motorway, Black Combe in the Lake District and from many miles out in the Irish Sea on days of good visibility.
• 
  A view from the main entrance to Ashton Memorial
• 
  Ceiling of ground floor room
• 
  Photo of the entrance to the Ashton Memorial taken in March 2022

View from the observation deck

• Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
• Listed buildings in Lancaster, Lancashire

Notes

Bibliography

• Sparks, Jon (2003), Lancashire Cycleway, Cicerone Press, ISBN 978-1-85284-384-7

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ashton Memorial.

• The Ashton Memorial at Williamson Park
• Virtual tour at virtual-lancaster.
• Ashton Memorial Lancaster City Council
• Virtual tour at VRlancaster.