Penshaw Monument
About Penshaw Monument
Penshaw Monument was built on top of Penshaw hill in honour of John George
Lambton, the first Earl of Durham. It was built in 1844 using about £6,000
raised by public subscription, however funding ran out and the roof and
interior walls were never added. Penshaw comes from the old word 'pen' meaning hill
and 'shaw' describes a wooded area. The Grade 2 listed monument, built in the form
of a Greek Temple, stands 136 metres above sea level. It is based on the design
of the Theseion, the Temple of Hephaestus, in Athens. It was designed by
Newcastle architects John and Benjamin Green, and built by Thomas Pratt of
Sunderland. In 1988 Sunderland city council added floodlights and the monument
dominates the skyline and can be seen for miles around. The monument is now in
the care of the National Trust.
