Ashton Memorial - The Taj Mahal of the North

The Ashton Memorial building was built by Lord Ashton as a memorial to his second wife and presented to the inhabitants of Lancaster in AD 1907. John Belcher was the architect of this memorial.

The Ashton Memorial, Lancaster

Due to this reason it is also called as the 'Taj Mahal of the North' and also as 'England's grandest folly'. For the uninitiated a folly is a structure constructed mainly for decoration.

The Ashton Memorial

The building is located on the highest ground in the Lancaster area and is therefore visible from quite a distance from all sides.

Grandeur of Ashton Memorial

Likewise if you are in the Ashton Memorial building's halls higher up it will give you a 360 degree view of the entire area including the Lancaster town, the river Lune, the countryside and the Morecambe Bay.

View of the Lancaster town, river Lune & Morecambe Bay from Ashton Memorial

This 150 feet tall building is built in Edwardian Baroque style. Mainly Portland stone and Cornwall granite has been used in the construction of the building.

Hall inside the Ashton Memorial

The Ashton Memorial is situated in the huge Williamson Park. One can take walks for several hours inside the park and the various trails inside the park.

Another view of Ashton Memorial

The memorial is also a close mathematical centre point of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The walk uphill from the Lancaster city centre to the memorial is also worth it. Though the building is beautiful indeed but it does not come anywhere close to Taj Mahal in comparison.