The statue of William, 1st Earl of Lonsdale was built to commemorate the earl as a gesture of appreciation for his contributions to the city following his death. It consists of a Calciferous sandstone base and plinth, which bears the inscription, and on top of which stands a white marble figure of the earl. The earl is depicted wearing the robe and insignia of the Order of the Garter and stands proudly, hand on hip, seemingly surveying and watching over the surroundings.

Following a dispute around its erection, the statue was finally erected on English Street near to the Crown Court towers, yet it was moved in 1929 as a traffic hazard, and then again in 1930, to the location in which it stands today.