THE HOAD, ULVERSTON

Well I was OK yesterday, having had sore throats and sneezes for a few days before and this morning, suddenly whilst I was out with Mum, I felt awful and a full blow head cold appeared so we had to come home.  I did manage to get a couple of photos, one being this photo of The Hoad in Ulverston.

The monument may actually look like a lighthouse and was modelled on one, but has never housed a light I believe and is actually a monument to Sir John Barrow.

The monument was built in 1850 by public subscription as a memorial for Sir John Barrow and dominates Ulverston's skyline and has become a symbol for the town.

It stands on the 450 ft high summit of Hoad Hill overlooking Ulverston and Morecambe Bay. It is known locally as The Hoad.

It is 100ft tall and is built of limestone which was quarried from the nearby Birkrigg Common. The monument has an internal spiral staircase of 112 narrow steps leading to the lantern chamber, which has never had a functional light.

The foundation stone of the monument was laid on 15 May 1850 by Sir John Barrow's two sons, Sir George Barrow and John Barrow and was undoubtedly a memorable day in Ulverston's history.  8,000 citizens climbed Hoad Hill on 15 May 1950 for the ceremony and the monument was completed on 9 January 1851.

The original plans show that a room that was constructed in the basement of the Monument to house a lighthouse keeper and the official position of lighthouse keeper has been continuously maintained, lthough there is no longer a keeper in residence.. The keeper's job is to look after the monument and he/she opens it to the public on behalf of the Sir John Barrow Trustees.

Sir John Barrow 1764-1848
From his humble beginnings in Ulverston, Sir John Barrow, naval administrator and traveller, went on to become the Second Secretary to the Admiralty charged with the running the British Navy.  He had a baronetcy conferred on him by Sir Robert Peel. 

I won't bore you with all the details of his distinguished career but just thought you might like to know the basic facts of the monument.