Posted in Art Deco, Cinemas, Trips at 12:00 on 11 January 2026
Our sojourn to Barrow (see earlier posts) was really to take a look at stuff in the Lake District, whose main town is Bowness-on-Windermere.
Among others of Bowness’s sights I found the Royalty Cinema, which has Art Deco touches in the white painting and horizontal bands but also feels a bit Edwardian. It was opened in 1927 and so is on the cusp.


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Posted in Trips, War Memorials at 12:00 on 6 January 2026
Swarthmoor is a village/hamlet between Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston. Its War Memorial (for the Parish of Pennington,) in the form of a simple stone cross, is at the southern end of the village.

Inscription: “1914 – 1918 Pennington Memorial of the Great War for the world’s freedom and of the men who gave their lives for their King and their country. Simply to thy cross I cling.” The words “They shall be had in everlasting remembrance” lie around the remaining three faces of the plinth:-

Dedications, Swarthmoor War Memorial, Plus D-Day Anniversary wreath:-

World War 2 dedication and names:-

A plaque to the front of the Memorial is in remembrance of a VC recipient, Private Harry Christian, of the King’s Own (Royal Lancashire Regiment) 18/10/1915:-

Great War names:-



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Posted in English Football Grounds at 12:00 on 4 January 2026
We visited Carlisle on the way down to Barrow-in-Furness, mainly to have a look at a second hand book shop in the town centre. As I recall I didn’t buy any books.
As we travelled on to south Cumbria we passed Brunton Park, home of Carlisle United FC, and I stopped to photograph it – or what I could gain access to. (There was some work going on at the ground.)
External view of stands:-

Statue outside club shop on Warwick Road:-

The plaque on the statue commemorates 100 years of the club:-

View of stands from the road round the side of the stadium:-

Pitch and stands (photographed through a fence):-

Further round I was able to get a less obstructed view of the pitch and stands:-


At the time the club was still in the English Football League but it has since been relegated to the National League.
Maybe I’m a jinx.
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Posted in Architecture, Art Deco, Museums, Trips at 12:00 on 22 December 2025
The Roxy Cinema is fairly prominent as you pass through Ulverston to or from Barrow-in-Furness, standing as it does by the main A 590 road:-

Note rule of three, and banding, plus flagpole.
Entrance, also the entrance to the Laurel and Hardy Museum:-

From south, Art Deco lettering, banding on white background and rule of three in windows:-

View from north:-

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Posted in Architecture, Art Deco, Trips at 12:00 on 21 December 2025
Ulverston in Cumbria, is the nearest biggish town to Barrow-in-Furness, about ten and a half miles further north. It was the birthplace of Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy fame. There is a Laurel and Hardy museum in the town which we didn’t visit and a statue of the pair in the town centre.

The statue stood outside this fairly impressive building:-

Just across the road was this building:-

The Tesco’s in the town was in a minor Art Deco style. Its upper windows are completely ruined:-

Detail:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips at 12:00 on 16 December 2025
Furness Abbey is a former monastery located in the north of Barrow-in-Furness. It was once the second wealthiest Cistercian monastery in England and it held large tracts of land in Cumbria and Lancashire. It was of course disestablished in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Nowadays it’s a ruin – or several ruins but it’s certainly worth going to see if you’re near Barrow.



Part of what remians is reinforced by steel supports:-



A stream runs under this bit:-




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Posted in Trips, War Memorials at 15:00 on 11 December 2025
Barrow’s War Memorial is a cenotaph standing on a hill in Barrow Park.
View uphill from the memorial to a VC winner:-

Closer view:-

Poppy detail by side of steps up to the Memorial:-

Upper detail; crest and inscription “AD 1914-1919”:-

Barrow War memorial plaques. Upper plaque reads, “To the glory of God and in honoured memory of the men of Barrow-in-Furness who fell in the Great War.” Lower plaque reads, “To the men and women of Barrow-in-Furness who died as a result of enemy action 1939-45.”:-

Great War names B W Adams – W Glover:-

Great War names W Gott – JJ Nicholls plus plaque reading, “In memory of those who died in the struggle for freedom.”

The Second World War names are set into the railings surrounding the memorial plinth:-


A photograph of the opening ceremony and details of the figurative cartouches at the corners of the memorial are on this Facebook page.
By the side of the memorial is a Second World War Memorial Bench:-

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Posted in Trips, War Memorials at 12:00 on 10 December 2025
Just inside the entrance to Barrow Park lies a memorial to William Thomas Forshaw, of the Manchester Regiment, who was awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery in action during the Gallipoli campaign for over forty hours between the 7th and 9th August 1915.

Information board:-

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Posted in Architecture, Art Deco at 12:00 on 1 December 2025
Shop block:-

Doorway, pediment and fanlight:-

Lakeland House on Abbey Road. Stitch of two photos:-

Central tower. Strong verticals and horizontals, rule of three in windows, streamline detailing:-

John Whinnerah Institute, Abbey Road aspect:-

Stitch of frontage:-

Doorway:-

Hindpool Road aspect of John Whinnerah Institute:-

Triangular Window detail:-

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Posted in Architecture, Art Deco, Cinemas, Trips at 12:00 on 29 November 2025
Former Roxy Cinema, now an entertainment venue named Hollywood:-


Former Marks & Spencer only recently closed:-

Upper level of M&S (stitch of two photos):-

Dandy’s Fine Beds and Furniture:-

Roofline detail:-

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