Sir John Barrow's Cottage, Ulverston | Snapshot Series

Sitting on the junction of two Ulverston roads stands a small building once home to Sir John Barrow.

Sir John Barrow, as mentioned in an early post about Hoad Monument, was born in Ulverston during the 18th Century and went on to be a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society.

This small cottage at Dragley Beck was where he was born on 19th June 1764.

It would have looked a little different back then, for a start the roof would have likely been made from thatch and there would have been a garden wall sweeping round the front of the building.

At the time Dragley Beck was also a small village in the parish of Ulverston. It certainly wouldn't have been as busy as it is today. Of course as time moved on the village was fully enveloped by the growing town.

John grew up in the area and went to school at Town Bank Grammar School in Ulverston. John left at the age of 13 though to set up a Sunday School for the poor, before moving to Liverpool where he found work at an iron foundry.

This building is a wonderful remnant of the past and it is excellent that it is still standing today.

The building is now looked after by Greenlane Archaeology who open it at various times throughout the year. You can find out more on their website here.

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The Snapshot Series is a series of short posts on singular locations, features or artefacts found in the Furness area. Not large enough to warrant a long blog post we will explore these sites in snapshots!

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Hoad Monument, Ulverston | Snapshot Series

One of the most prominent features visible from the Furness town of Ulverston is the random lighthouse that sits upon a hill above the town - the Hoad Monument.

Even though it appears as such the monument is not a lighthouse, well not a working one at any rate. It is in fact a monument to Sir John Barrow, a man born in Ulverston during the 18th Century, who went on to be a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society.

The monument, real name the Sir John Barrow Monument, was designed in the style of a lighthouse and built on the top of hoad hill on the outskirts of Ulverston. It was built using local limestone in 1850 and stands 100ft tall.

It cost £1250 to build and was paid for mainly by public subscription. It soon became an iconic image of the town and held a special place in the hearts of locals.

This still stands today with the view of the 'Pepper Pot', as it is also refereed to, when driving home is an instant reminder that you are almost there. Many people walk up the hill to wander around the monument every day and enjoy the views up the tower or out across Ulverston.

It really is adored by everyone and will continue to be a lasting symbol of Ulverston and, indeed, the Furness peninsula.

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The Snapshot Series is a series of short posts on singular locations, features or artefacts found in the Furness area. Not large enough to warrant a long blog post we will explore these sites in snapshots!

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