Francis Wright Memorial - Ashbourne, Derbyshire, UK
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N 53° 01.094 W 001° 43.965
30U E 585007 N 5875049
A memorial to Francis Wright in the market square in the centre of the town of Ashbourne.
Waymark Code: WM8B11
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/04/2010
Views: 7
The memorial takes the form of a market cross and is made of stone and marble.
On one face is the inscription:
Erected by public subscription to the memory of Francis Wright of Osmaston Manor Esquire Lord of the Manor of Ashbourne as a record of the valuable services rendered by him to the town and neighbourhood . Born: Dec 1st 1806 Died: Feb 24th 1873
On another face of the following verses from the bible:
They who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb shall hunger no more neither thirst no more. Rev 7. 14-16
On the other two faces are shields carved in stone.
The memorial also has a drinking fountain (not working) with a face of a lion in brass.
The memorial was erected in 1874 for Francis Wright, a wealthy local industrialist who owned Butterley Ironworks and lived at Osmaston Manor. Butterley Ironworks were the builders of St Pancras Station in London, now revamped and used for Eurostar departures to Brussels and Paris.
Francis Wright a benefactor to the town of Ashbourne, but not universally popular. His action in putting a stop to the annual fair, of which he disapproved, and his efforts to stop Shrovetide football did not go down well with many of the inhabitants.
He married his cousin Selina, daughter of Sir Henry FitzHerbert of Tissington. In 1845 Francis Wright started to build Osmaston Manor, which was completed in 1849.
There is a modern connection to Royalty with Francis Wright being the great great grandfather of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, ex-wife of Andrew Windsor, Duke of York. Ref: (
visit link)