The Penshaw Monument near Sunderland was built in 1844 in memory of John Lambton, the first Earl of Durham and Governor General of Canada (1792-1840).
A prominent land and mine owner, he was known as ‘Radical Jack’ for his support of the 1832 Reform Act, which extended the right to vote to about one in five of the adult male population of England and Wales. He also used his own money to support retired pitmen which boosted his popularity.
The monument is a grand folly, modelled on the 5th century Hephaestus Temple or Theseum in Athens, though a rather poor and scaled-down imitation of it.
However, some schools of thought agree that the money would have been better spent on his radical causes instead. Still, at least many can all enjoy the views from the monument which has been owned by the National Trust since 1939.
A nearby wall plaque reads:
“This stone was laid by Thomas, Earl of Zetland Grand Master of the Free and Accepted Masons of England assisted by the Brethren of the Provinces of Durham and Northumberland on the 28th August 1844 being the foundation stone of a memorial to the memory of John George Earl of Durham, who after representing the County of Durham for fifteen years, was raised to the peerage and subsequently held the offices of Lord Privy Seal, Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister at the Court of St. Petersburg and Governor-General of Canada. He died on the 28th July 1840 in the 49th year of his age. The monument will be erected by the private subscriptions of his fellow countrymen, admirers of his distinguished talents and exemplary private virtues.”
Penshaw Hill’s other claim to fame is its association with the Lambton Worm.
According to the legend and Geordie folk song, Penshaw Hill was the lair of a dragon-like monster called the Lambton Worm, which is believed to have terrorised the local villagers until it was killed by a character who was also called John Lambton.
Here is an extract, if you can understand the local dialect:
This feorful worm would often feed,
On caalves an’ lambs an’ sheep,
An’ swally little bairns alive,
When they laid doon te sleep.
An when he’d eaten aall he cud,
An’ he had had he’s fill,
He craaled away an’ lapped he’s tail,
Ten times roond Pensha Hill.
Penshaw Monument
Houghton le Spring
Sunderland
SR4 9JX