Penshaw Monument: Climbing a North East icon

Available for over a year

Penshaw Monument is one of the most iconic landmarks in the North East and has been standing tall for over 180 years. The surrounding area has changed a great deal in that time, so the monument has effectively become a constant in an ever changing landscape. One of its secrets is a spiral staircase within one of the pillars which was closed to the public after a fatal accident in 1926. Since 2011, however, the staircase is opened to the public at certain times of the year. Michael Poulter caught up with a couple of the official guides, Ken and Jed, and Lucy Stockdale-Stanforth, Experience and Programming Manager at the National Trust for Derwent, Wear and The Coast to find out more.