Skyline View of Preston

Located on the River Ribble, the city of Preston is situated in the county of Lancashire in the north of England.  With attractions such as The Queens Lancashire Regiment Museum, Harris Museum and Ribble Steam Railway all found in the city, it is also the home of a founding member of the Football League – Preston North End FC. Preston became the 50th city in England having been granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002.

Historic Preston
Noted in the Domesday Book as Prestune, settlements in the Preston area date back to Roman times and would be further developed by the Angles, Germanic people, who settled there after the Romans had left.  Preston was famous for its textile industry, and Sir Richard Arkwright was born in the city and was later responsible for inventing the spinning frame, just one of his many inventions which also included a rotary carding engine which allowed for the processing of raw cotton.

Throughout the Industrial Revolution Preston thrived with a focus on both engineering and textile manufacturing, and the city would see the establishment of many industrial plants in the area, as well as it being the first town to be lit by gas outside of London.

The Preston Guild was formed following the Royal Guild Merchant Charter that was awarded by Henry II which allowed only the Burgesses to trade in the town.  The Preston Guild is a festival celebration that dates back to this time, which originally promoted the tradespeople and now is a celebration of Preston itself and its vast history.  From the 16th Century the Guild has taken place every 20 years, with the most recent event in 2012, and it remains the only Guild still celebrated in the UK with the latest festival featuring a full week of events and activities within the city.

Popular Culture
Preston is a historic and cultural city and as such has also been a focus in popular culture.

Films & TV
Max & Paddy’s Road to Nowhere (2004)
Filming took place in Preston and Blackpool for this comedy which starred Peter Kay and Paddy McGuiness and followed the disastrous adventures of Max and Paddy, characters who first hit our screen in the popular TV series Phoenix Nights.

Piercing Brightness (2012)
Shot entirely in Preston, Piercing Brightness by Shezad Dawood is a sci-fi drama which features many local residents, and focusses on a Chinese couple sent to earth to collect the Glorious 100 – alien race members.

Books
In the book Hard Times by Charles Dickens reference is made to Coketown which is based on Preston, and followed a visit to the area by Dickens in January 1854.

Jubilee by Mark Tierney is set in Preston, and is the first in the fantasy crime series which features Det Insp Michael Traynor.

Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth tells the tale of Laura as she deals with the death of school friend Chloe, the story is set in Preston and is the second novel by this local author.

Social Media
Additional information on Preston can be found on its official website Visit Lancashire as well as its Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube accounts.

Famous Faces
Sir Tom Finney – born in Preston on 5 April 1922, Sir Tom Finney famously played for Preston North End and England and was recognised by many as one of the greatest players of all time.

Nick Park – the award winning English filmmaker was born in Preston on the 6th December 1958.  Having famously created Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, Park has won several academy awards for his work which is loved around the world.

Andrew Flintoff – born in Preston on 6 December 1977, Flintoff is known for his skills on the cricket pitch, having enjoyed a successful England career.  More recently he obtained 14 Guinness World Records in support of Sport Relief.

Landmarks

Harris Museum

Harris Museum
This stunning Grade I listed museum is also home to the public library and large art gallery.  Dating back to 1893, the museum contains many collections which include local history, as well as fine and decorative art and archaeology.  This beautiful building is located in Market Square and admission is free to those who wish to explore its vast and fascinating collections.

St Walburge’s Church
With its magnificent spire the tallest of any English parish church, it was architect Joseph Hansom who designed St Walburge’s Church which was built in the early 1850’s and dedicated to Saint Walpurga, the Daughter of a Saxon King.  The Roman Catholic Church features amazing gothic styling and the spire dominates the Preston skyline, measuring 94m in height.

The Preston Cenotaph
Unveiled on 13 June 1926, the Preston Cenotaph is a monument to the soldiers of the city who died in the First and Second World Wars. Located in Market Square and designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the memorial features a main figure of Victory with sculptural work completed by Henry Alfred Pegram.

 
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Skyline View of Lancaster

Located in the county of Lancashire, Lancaster is set on the River Lune in the North West of England.  With so much to offer those looking for a city break, Lancaster’s Castle is a fantastic place to start, just one of many historic buildings within the city.  The stunning Williamson Park provides a chance to relax and explore attractions such as the Ashton Memorial set in over 50 acres, and with a range of museums in the city, historic Lancaster can also be revisted.  With shops, restaurants and café’s galore, the docks and quay areas are also on offer, making Lancaster a beautiful and diverse place to visit.

Historic Lancaster
The Doomesday Book refers to Lancaster as Loncastre, with Lon taken from the River Lune and Castre meaning fort.  The Roman fort stood on the site where Lancaster Castle is now located, and dated back to around 79AD.  It is believed that Lancaster’s magnificent castle was built in the 11th Century, a structure which dominates the skyline of Lancaster.

With the Roman’s having left the area by the 5th Century, there is evidence of a monastery being built within the area of Lancaster, close to the location of Lancaster Priory, with the discovery of a cross made by the Anglo Saxon’s dating back to the 700-800’s.  Historic documents confirm William I took control of Lancaster after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and it would be passed to Roger de Poitou, an Anglo-Norman aristocrat to oversee, together with other large sections of land throughout England.  1193 would see Lancaster granted its first charter during the reign of Richard I, confirming its status as a borough and market town, it would take until 1937 for city status to be awarded to Lancaster.

The Wars of the Roses took place as a result of the great rivalry between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, both of which formed part of the royal dynasty during the middle ages.  The Wars refer to these conflicts with the House of Lancaster’s heraldic symbol being a red rose, and the House of York a white rose. Several conflicts relating to the throne of England took place from 1455-1485, with Henry Tudor finally defeating Richard III, the last King of York and uniting the houses following his marriage to the daughter of Edward IV, in turn the House of Tudor took the throne and ruled until 1603.

James Williamson, 1st Baron Ashton
Born in Lancaster on 31st December 1842, James Williamson was a politician and businessman whose remarkable contributions to Lancaster include Williamson Park, which he created together with his father, James Williamson Snr.  Williamson’s father ran a coated fabrics business in Lancaster which offered linoleum and oilcloth for export, a business which James would also work in.  Williamson was also responsible for the Ashton Memorial, the city’s Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Monument all of which can be found in Lancaster.

Popular Culture
Lancaster is an historic and cultural city, and has also been a focus in popular culture.

Films & TV
Panto! (2012) – Written by John Bishop and Jonathan Harvey and starring John Bishop and Amy Metcalf, Panto! is a TV film which follows Lewis Loud, a local DJ appearing in pantomime for the first time.  The Grand Theatre in Lancaster is the venue featured in this comedy.

Social Media
Additional information on Lancaster can be found on its official website Visit Lancashire as well as its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

Famous Faces
Thomas Edmondson – Born in Lancaster on 30th June 1792, Edmondson famously invented the Edmondson Railway Ticket, until this time tickets were handwritten.  Edmondson’s design was a cardboard ticket pre-printed and featuring the journey details.  Edmondson would also invent a machine to print tickets which also included serial numbers, with all of his inventions bringing him much financial reward.

Robert Binyon – was a famous poet and author whose work includes For the Fallen, and is the basis for the Ode of Remembrance, used in services on Remembrance Sunday. Binyon was born on 10th  August 1869 in Lancaster.

Jon Richardson – comedian and writer was born in Lancaster on 26th September 1982.  Richardson is known as a star of stand-up and also for his regular TV appearances on shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, he has also enjoyed an extensive radio career.

Landmarks    

Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle
Up until 2011, the Castle at Lancaster still served as a prison, but today visitors can access this fantastic attraction and learn more about the famous prisoners of the past including the Pendle Witches.  After entering through the striking Gatehouse, exploring Hadrian’s Tower, the Judges Lodgings, the Shire Hall, The Old Cells and the Grand Jury Room will transport you back in time through the Castle’s fascinating history.

Lancaster City Museum
Located in Market Street, the Lancaster City Museum is a majestic building, which used to be the Town Hall, and houses many treasures from Lancaster’s heritage.  Filled with amazing collections, one of the many highlights is the Silverdale Hoard, a collection of Viking coins and jewellery unearthed near Silverdale in Lancashire.  With the King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum housed in the same building, the incredible stories of the troop’s bravery can also be explored.

The Grand Theatre
Having been built in 1781 and opened the following year, the Grand Theatre in Lancaster is one of the oldest in the country and is a Grade II listed building. Having been developed over the years, 1908 saw the Theatre extensively damaged by fire, but following the designs of architect Albert Winstanley, rebuilding took place and the theatre today remains a popular venue for top name acts as well as amateur productions.

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