Ashton Memorial is Grade 1 listed and was commissioned by Lancaster industrialist Lord Ashton as a tribute to his second wife Jessy; it appears he liked her more than his first wife! It was designed by John Belcher and completed in 1909
The dome is made of copper, which now appears green due to a process called oxidation, forming a layer of copper carbonate, also known as patina or verdigris. The main construction material is Portland stone although the steps are made of Cornish granite
Around the dome are sculptures by Herbert Hampton representing Commerce, Science, Industry and Art. The interior of the dome has allegorical paintings of Commerce, Art and History by George Murray
At around 150 feet tall it dominates the Lancaster skyline. The first floor outdoor viewing gallery provides superb views of the surrounding countryside and out across Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland fells and mountains
Its also less than ½ mile from my home = perfect
Is it good for Weddings though… errr… too right it is !!!
When you’re working as the Lancaster Wedding Photographer you want venues with good light, with space, with interesting features, and with locations perfect for creative Wedding Photography as nearby as possible
Ashton Memorial Weddings has it ALL in bucket-loads
So let me jump straight in with some photos of couples who married here recently, then we’ll take a look at the building itself and some guest fun too
