Things to do in Ulverston

Ulverston is a quaint market town in the centre of the Furness peninsula, featuring cobbled streets, archaic buildings and is nearby the coast of Morecambe Bay and the tail of Windermere Lake. The town has plenty to explore and is filled with new and old attractions… 

  • Stott Park Bobbin Mill

Nestled on the shores of Lake Windermere, around 20 minutes away from Ulverston town centre, the Stott Park Bobbin Mill was built in 1835 and has produced millions of wooden bobbins over the centuries for Lancashire spinning and weaving industries. The mill is still operating today and is the oldest working bobbin mill left in the Lake District. The story of the Bobbin Mill is brought to life with tours and exhibits; visitors can watch bobbins being made on the original belt driven machinery. Children can take a step back in time and dress up as workers. Young boys were often drafted from workhouses to work in the mill often in arduous, dangerous conditions. Don’t leave your children unattended or they may be mistaken for workers!

  • Conishead Priory

Conishead Priory, also known as the Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre is an internationally known Buddhist temple and meditation centre founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyasto Rinpoche; a world-renowned meditation master who has lived at the centre for over 30 years.

The priory itself is a magnificent example of Victorian Gothic architecture and is a Grade II listed building. The current building stands on the site of a 12th century Augustinian priory and was originally founded in 1160, acting as a hospital for the sick people of Ulverston. The building has had a number of uses over the decades including a private house, hotel and miners homes. Later in history, the priory was once again used as the largest military hospital in the North West during World War II. It is now a large residential Buddhist centre with a unique temple and stunning gardens.

  • The Hoad Monument

The Hoad Monument, also known as the Sir John Barrow Monument, is a tower standing at the top of Hoad Hill to the north-east of Ulverston. The monument was raised in 1850 to commemorate Sir John Barrow who was born in Ulverston in 1764. A spiral staircase runs through the middle of the 100ft high structure, leading to the top, which provides a 360-degree panarmoic view of the Furness Peninsula, Morecambe Bay and the southern Lake District. 

  • Laurel and Hardy Museum

Ulverston is home to the world famous Laurel & Hardy Museum and is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the comedy pair. The museum began when owner Bill Cubin grew his collection of Laurel and Hardy memorabilia so large that he needed somewhere to display it all! The museum started out as little private showings in a quirky room before extending in 1983 and moving to the current site in 2009, ironically and suitably at a former 1930s cinema site! Ulverston was the birth town of Stan Laurel, making it a fitting area for the museum. Bills collection is believed to be the largest in the world including letters, photographs, personal items and furniture. The museum explores the history of Stan’s childhood in Ulverston alongside delving into the careers of the iconic duo through displays of Bills extensive collection. The attraction is still a popular site today and is ran by Bill Cubin’s family.

  • Swarthmoor Hall

Swarthmoor Hall, near Ulverston is an Elizabethan house and is of great importance to the Quakers due to the houses connection to their founder George Fox, who used the building as a meeting house in the 17th century. Although the mansion is dull compared to nearby Lakeland house such as Levens and Sizergh, it holds historic interest to the Quaker movement and is well preserved for its age, featuring Elizabethan, mullioned windows, an unusual staircase and lots of oak panelling and period furniture.