AN ONLINE ROUTE AROUND THE STOREY LOCALITY
Produced by the Friends of the Storey Gardens for Heritage Open Days 2024.
Starting at The Storey building main entrance follow the arrows on the map. Read the information for each numbered location and click on the photographs below the text to enlarge them.
1. The Storey was built between 1887 and 1891 and was designed by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin. A carved stone plaque high on the wall commemorates the gift of the building to Lancaster by Sir Thomas Storey in honour of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. The Storey Institute provided technical education for working people, including a library and reading room, a school of art, laboratories and lecture rooms for science and an art gallery. Many of the students would have worked in the mills and offices of the Storey Brothers.
2. These were former gates to the Storey Gardens. They would originally have made an impressive entrance to the gardens of Nos. 20 and 22 on Castle Park. The gates were altered when Meeting House Lane was widened to accommodate increased traffic after the railway station was built.
3. The Quaker Meeting House was built in 1708 and extended in the later 18th century. There is a 1677 datestone in the porch from the first Meeting House on this site. Many of the leading families and businessmen of 18th century Lancaster were Quakers, including some of the residents of Castle Park. The George Fox School occupied a building at the rear of the Meeting House then later also used 2 Castle Park for the school.
4. Lancaster Station approach gateway. Trains run from here to Scotland and London, as well as to Morecambe, Leeds and Carlisle via the Cumbrian coast. Paley and Austin designed many of the railway buildings on the Furness Line to Whitehaven.
5. Station entrance.
The station was designed by William Tite in the Tudor-revival style and opened in 1846. It was originally called Lancaster Castle station, with the 3-storey block designed to resemble a pele tower. Later additions were designed by Austin and Paley and built between 1900 and 1906.
2. These were former gates to the Storey Gardens. They would originally have made an impressive entrance to the gardens of Nos. 20 and 22 on Castle Park. The gates were altered when Meeting House Lane was widened to accommodate increased traffic after the railway station was built.
3. The Quaker Meeting House was built in 1708 and extended in the later 18th century. There is a 1677 datestone in the porch from the first Meeting House on this site. Many of the leading families and businessmen of 18th century Lancaster were Quakers, including some of the residents of Castle Park. The George Fox School occupied a building at the rear of the Meeting House then later also used 2 Castle Park for the school.
4. Lancaster Station approach gateway. Trains run from here to Scotland and London, as well as to Morecambe, Leeds and Carlisle via the Cumbrian coast. Paley and Austin designed many of the railway buildings on the Furness Line to Whitehaven.
5. Station entrance.
The station was designed by William Tite in the Tudor-revival style and opened in 1846. It was originally called Lancaster Castle station, with the 3-storey block designed to resemble a pele tower. Later additions were designed by Austin and Paley and built between 1900 and 1906.
|
|
|
|
6. A sloping path between wooden fences and a road uphill leads into Castle Park. Here there is a path around the rear of Lancaster Castle that leads to the Priory Church, the remains of Lancaster’s Roman fort and the Maritime Museum on St George’s Quay. The Storey family had interests in shipbuilding and manufacturing on the quay, as well as importing materials and exporting goods here.
|
|
7. Castle Park history. Many of the houses of Castle Park were built in the 18th century and this was Lancaster’s most fashionable address. The architects Paley and Austin (later Austin and Paley) had their offices at 24 Castle Park from 1868 to 1944 and their drawing office at 26 Castle Park.
8. The Storey Gardens entrance, Lancaster Castle and view across Lancaster. The present Storey Gardens were created from gardens originally attached to 20 and 22 Castle Park. The entrance portico dates from the 1770s, and was moved here when a nearby Georgian house was demolished to make way for the General Post Office.
The rear part of the Storey Institute on the corner of Castle Park and along Castle Hill was built 1906-8 after the
original building proved too small. It was designed by Austin and Paley with funds provided by Herbert Lushington
Storey, son of Sir Thomas. The semi-circular hooded porch over the door to the rear of the building was rescued from a
building that previously stood here.
8. The Storey Gardens entrance, Lancaster Castle and view across Lancaster. The present Storey Gardens were created from gardens originally attached to 20 and 22 Castle Park. The entrance portico dates from the 1770s, and was moved here when a nearby Georgian house was demolished to make way for the General Post Office.
The rear part of the Storey Institute on the corner of Castle Park and along Castle Hill was built 1906-8 after the
original building proved too small. It was designed by Austin and Paley with funds provided by Herbert Lushington
Storey, son of Sir Thomas. The semi-circular hooded porch over the door to the rear of the building was rescued from a
building that previously stood here.
|
|
Directly opposite is the imposing entrance to Lancaster Castle, known as the John O’Gaunt Gate, that dates from the early 15th century and is named after the 2nd Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III. From here there is a good view east across the city to the Ashton Memorial (built for the Storey Brothers’ business rival, Lord Ashton), the spire of St Peter’s Cathedral and the dome of the Town Hall.
|
|
9. Across the road from the entrance to Lancaster Castle is 23 Castle Hill, the former offices and workshops of Shrigley & Hunt, the manufacturers of the stained glass bay window inside The Storey. You can see the faded lettering above the second floor windows and one of their tiles in the doorway. The glass melting and annealing workshop survives in the cellar and is a Scheduled Monument. To the left is 19 Castle Hill, built by public subscription in 1785 to house the Dispensary, which provided health care for the poor. The first Dispensary in Lancaster was also on Castle Hill, in a building that was demolished in 1902 to allow the extension to the Storey Institute to be built.
|
|
10. Lower part of Castle Hill leading to Meeting House Lane.
|
|
