heritage of ulverston...
Sir John Barrow (1764-1848)
A great naval administrator, writer and intrepid explorer who was born in a tiny cottage at Dragley Beck, Ulverston. A gifted man, he was well versed in many languages including Chinese Mandarin, and rose to become Second Secretary of the Admiralty. He promoted British naval exploration of West Africa and the Arctic, and was involved in attempts to find the Northwest Passage. In 1830 he became a founder member and key figure of the Royal Geographical Society.
Sir John Barrow Monument
Prominent memorial on the top of Hoad Hill that announces your imminent arrival in Ulverston. The tower was modelled on an earlier version of the Eddystone Lighthouse and built in 1850 in honour of Sir John Barrow, naval explorer and Secretary to the Admiralty. The uphill climb is well rewarded by breathtaking views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District Fells. Access is via several footpaths from Ulverston town centre. www.sirjohnbarrowmonument.co.uk
Sir John Barrow's Cottage
A simple, single-storey cottage that originally had a thatched roof and oak mullioned windows. The building was given to the town by the Barrow family and is open to visitors on occasion.
Conishead Priory
Buddhist Temple and historic mansion set in 70 acres of woodlands and gardens on the shores of Morecambe Bay that provides a place of spiritual rest and reflection for thousands of visitors each year, and home to one of the largest Buddhist communities in Europe. The original Conishead Priory was founded by Augustinian monks in 1160 as a hospital for the poor. The kitchen garden is now the site of the Kadampa World Peace Temple - a golden Temple that symbolises the purity of Buddha, and used daily for meditation and prayers. Free parking and entry to Temple, grounds, gift shop, café and toilets. Charge for guided tours of the house and Temple.
Swarthmoor Hall
Quakers at Swarthmoor Hall
The Quaker Movement found strong support in the Furness area, and it all began with the arrival of George Fox at Swarthmoor Hall in 1652. This Elizabethan mansion south of Ulverston belonged to Judge Thomas Fell and his wife, Margaret, who were receptive to the ideas of Quakerism. They allowed the Hall to be used as a place of worship and, under the protective influence of the judge, the building became the administrative headquarters for the growth of Quakerism. Meetings were held in the great hall, and on occasion George would preach from a balcony to a gathered congregation below. George later married Margaret Fell in 1669 and both continued to promote the Society of Friends until their deaths in 1691 (George) and 1702 (Margaret). The Hall was left to a nephew and sold in 1759 to pay off debts. After a long spell as a tenanted farmhouse, the house was acquired by Emma Clarke Abraham (a direct descendant of Thomas and Margaret Fell) in 1912 and sold back to the Society of Friends in 1954, who own it to this day.
Other nearby Quaker sites include the burial ground at Sunbrick on Birkrigg Common (where Margaret Fell is buried) and the Quaker Meeting House at Swarthmoor. For more information on Quakers in Cumbria, visit the Quaker Tapestry at Kendal. The house is furnished in the style of the time, with some of George Fox's personal belongings on display
St Mary's Church
Parish church with the unforgettable date of 1111 AD as its foundation. The church was totally rebuilt in Victorian times, with the exception of its Tudor tower at the west end and a Norman arch over the inner door.
St Matthew's Church
Unusual church built in 1642 at a time of religious and political turmoil. Nearby is Dendron School, attended by the famous portrait painter, George Romney, in 1745.
Gleaston Water Mill
Restored corn mill and waterwheel dating from 1774 (records indicate an earlier mill was here in the 1300s). Much of the intact milling machinery is on view, along with displays on milling and the self-sufficient lifestyle of the early miller. Downstairs there is a display on beekeeping with an observation hive (beekeeping demonstrations on Saturday mornings in spring and summer). Artefacts on display from local archaeological digs. Pigs Whisper Country Store and observation hive.
Gleaston Castle
Built around 1325 by Sir John de Harrington (a descendant of Michael le Fleming) as a defence against Scottish raids but only occupied for around 100 years. By the 16th century the castle, then in a ruinous state, belonged to Henry Grey and his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, who were both executed in 1554 for treason. The castle is now part of a working farm and on private land, but can be viewed from the road.
St Mary's and St Michael's Church
There is much of interest in this ancient church; the highlights being the three-decker Georgian pulpit, some fine woodcarving and a section of an Anglian cross (the Tunwinni stone) with its runic inscription. Recent evidence suggests the church may lie on an early monastic site, although its proximity to the tarn and nearby tumuli, burial chambers and a stone circle also suggests an association with pagan worship. Embedded in a nearby wall is a large limestone boulder known as the Priapus Stone, although now lying in an undignified supine position, the stone was originally upright and used in fertility rituals that included it being dyed, smeared with butter and decorated with flowers.
St Cuthbert's Church
This Norman church overlooking Morecambe Bay is thought to occupy a monastic site - possibly a chapel where the monks of Lindisfarne ‘rested' the body of St Cuthbert on their flight from Viking raiders around 875 AD. Inside are a number of interesting features including a hagioscope (or viewing window) which allowed worshippers to view the communion service from the side aisles. Behind the altar is a small hole in the wall, through which lepers could receive communion bread without entering the church.
St Michael's and Holy Angels Church
The location of this church within a circular churchyard on a prominent knoll suggests this was a site of ancient worship. The church was largely rebuilt in 1826, leaving few features of historical interest. In 1926, a pagan sheela-na-gig (an engraved image of Freya, the goddess of fertility) was discovered in the eastern wall (now on display in Kendal Museum).
