For many, Penshaw Monument is the sign that they are almost home, as it can be seen from many places in Tyne and Wear and County Durham. It was built in 1844 in honour of John George Lambton, the first Earl of Durham. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level. It was designed to be a copy of the Theseion, the Temple of Hephaestus, in Athens. A rough path leads visitors up to the National Trust-owned Monument at any time, where there are stunning views.