The Most Blitzed Village in the Preston District I recently visited the Old Church of All Saints in Becconsall, which is now in West Lancashire, but used to be in the Preston Rural District. I had gone there to take some photographs to upload to the Historic England Missing Pieces Project on their website. The building is listed on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). The Old Church in Becconsall is listed on the National Heritage List for England Whilst the church was on my list, the main reason for visiting the Old Church was to have a look at the gravestones. A trip like this would normally be to perhaps look at the graves of specific people with historical interest. However, on this occasion, it was to examine the condition of the gravestones in the north west corner of the graveyard and explore their history. Bomb damage to a number of the gravestones at the church Bomb damage to a number of the gravestones at the church Whilst r...
Who will restore these plaques? This is an article taken from a local newspaper. It shows Mr Bill Crossley, a technician in Preston Polytechnic's building department, pictured with one of the stone plaques from the old Town Hall, which were stored at the former "Junior Tech" in Corporation Street for 20 years. Who will restore these plaques? SEVERAL finely sculpted stone plaques which, when first revealed to the people of Preston 116 years ago evoked unprecedented excitement and admiration, now lie forlorn at a Preston college. My story (May 3) of the opening of Preston's magnificent Victorian Gothic Town Hall in 1867, its virtual destruction by fire in 1947, and its final disappearance in 1962, brought a telephone call from Mr Bill Crossley, a technician in the building department of Preston Polytechnic. In my story I'd mentioned the fine stonework on the richly ornamented exterior of the Town Hall, including & series of plaques illustrating the industries ...