Barrow has many examples of unique architecture with the Furness region lucky enough to have the remains of ancient ruins and castles.

Local photographers the Sankeys managed to capture many of its elegant and quirky structures in the early 20th century.

Perhaps one of our most unique ruins is the former Cistercian monastery Furness Abbey.

READ MORE: How the Barrovians of the past had fun in the early 20th century

Founded in 1123, it dominated the life in Furness and the Lakes until its destruction in 1537 as part of the Reformation.

Queen Victoria, the poet William Wordsworth, the landscape painter JMW Turner, and US President Theodore Roosevelt and his family are among some of its famous visitors.

(Image: Sankey online archive) Piel Castle was built under the command of the Abbot of Furness in the early 1300s in order to protect his deep-water harbour. 

It is now in the care of English Heritage as a Grade 1 listed building and was given by the Duke of Buccleuch to the town of Barrow as a memorial to local citizens killed in the First World War.

There are also many unique homes and halls such as Rampside Hall.

Pictured in the 1920s, it has 12 square chimneys on the roof which are known locally as the 12 Apostles.

(Image: Sankey online archive) On 15 February 1685, Rampside was struck by an earthquake which caused a crack to appear in the west wall of the hall and which damaged almost all of the chimneys. 

The former home of artist George Romney stands atop the quarry in a semi-derelict state before its refurbishment by the Furness Railway in 1909 as a tourist attraction.

It was extensively promoted in Furness and the Lakes to attract visitors to the company’s ships and trains.

The Sankeys image shows just how much sandstone was used widely in the building of Barrow and was used for the town hall and the docks.

 A special railway branch line can be spotted in the Sankey's photograph that leads right into the quarry to move the stone to where it was needed.

(Image: Sankey online archive) Barrow also had a number of impressive theatres. Some that are pictured in the Sankey archive are now gone.

The fantastic Coliseum buildings can be seen on Abbey Road in 1914 with its impressive curved corner, copper dome and white tiles. Those above the canopied entrance incorporated ornate carvings.

Salthouse Pavilion, pictured in 1938, opened as a cinema with 936 seats. It is described in the Sankey Archive as a 'plain but attractive' building. 

The working men's club is pictured in the early 20th Century. It is a beautiful listed building, in a French Renaissance style and dates from 1871.

(Image: Sankey online archive)

The recognisable Rampside Light Tower is pictured in the early 20th Century and is the last remaining Leading Light tower on Rampside foreshore.

A grade II listed building, it was originally one of 13 used to help ships navigate the tricky entrance to Walney Channel between Piel and Roa islands.

Anyone wanting to use the Sankey photos in a book, online or in an exhibition needs to ask permission to use the photos from Cumbria Archives and there may be a charge.

Downloading images for personal use is OK. The full details on copyright are here: https://www.sankeyphotoarchive.uk/contact/.