Preston is a city and local government district in North West England. It is the administrative centre of Lancashire, and is on the River Ribble. Preston was granted the status of a city in 2002
During the Roman period the road from the Setantian port of Neb of the Nese passed one mile north of Preston and intersected the road from Languavallium in Cumberland to Condate in Cheshire in Preston at Tulketh-hall.
In Ripon in 705 the lands near the River Ribble were set on a new foundation, and the parish church was probably erected. Later Edward the Elder passed the lands to cathedral at York and then from successive transfers the lands were passed round between churches, hence the name Priest's Town or Preston. An alternative explanation of the origin of the name is that the Priest's Town refers to a priory set up by St. Wilfrid near the Ribble's lowest ford. This idea is reinforced by similarity of Preston's crest bearing a lamb with St. Wilfrid's banner (Walsh and Butler 1992).
The right to hold a Guild Merchant was conferred upon the Burgesses of Preston by a charter of 1179; the associated Preston Guild is a civic celebration held every 20 years
The strategic location of the city, almost exactly mid-way between Glasgow and London, is demonstrated in that decisive battles of the English Civil War (1643) and the first Jacobite rebellion (1715) were fought in Preston.
In 1825 Preston was in the hundred of Amounderness, in the deanery of Amounderness and the archdeaconry of Richmond. The name of Amounderness is more ancient than the name of any other Wapentake or hundred in the County of Lancaster, and so Preston dates from at least the High Saxon period. Served by the River Ribble, Preston was one of the principal ports of Lancaster. King Charles I demanded a quarter more ship money than from Lancaster and twice as much as from Liverpool
Museums
Harris Museum and Art Gallery
St Walburge's Church (the tallest church in England designed by Joseph Hansom of Hansom Cab fame, with the third-highest spire at 94 metres)
The National Football Museum
The Museum of Lancashire
The Lancashire Queens Regiment Museum
The British Commercial Vehicle Museum
Broughton Cottage Museum
Ribble Steam Railway Musuem
Parks
Miller Park, Preston
Waverly Park (Sometimes known as Ribbleton Park)
Avenham Park
Moor Park
Grange Park
Haslam Park
Ashton Park
Suburbs include
Ashton
Broadgate - running along the River Ribble opposite Penwortham, which is in South Ribble
Brookfield
Broughton - rural parish in the north east
Cadley
College
Deepdale
Farrington Park
Fishwick [including the Callon estate]
Fulwood - the former separate district council incorporated into Preston in 1974, with a mix of rural and suburban areas.
Greyfriars
Ingol [including the Tanterton community]
Kingsfold
Larches [incorportating the Larches and Savick communites]
Lea [including the Cottam and Lea Town communites]
Preston Rural East - including Sherwood, Broughton and Haighton
Preston Rural North - including Goosnargh, Woodplumpton and Barton
Ribbleton
Riversway - including Broadgate
Sharoe Green
St Georges
St Matthews
Town Centre [this is still called 'Town Centre' as City Status was granted following the most recent boundary changes]. This brings together Avenham, Frenchwood and the city centre
Tulketh
University - based around the Plungington and Maudland Bank areas
Preston Hotel, Preston Bed and Breakfast, Preston Cheap Hotel accommodation suitable for a Preston Weekend Break, a Preston City Break, Preston Wedding Accommodation, Preston Guys Night out, Preston Girls Night out or even a Preston Stag Night or a Preston Hen Night