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The Remains of Ribbleton Hall

The Remains of Ribbleton Hall I have only been aware of these remains for a few years now.  I came across Grange Park on a walk to Brockholes Nature Reserve on evening several winters ago.  I would normally walk home the way I had come, back to Walton le Dale, via Fishwick.  However, on this occasion, I decided to do a loop of sorts.  I think I was heading into town to collect something.  I passed through the park at Grange, and could see the remnants of stonework and brickwork.  On this visit, it was almost dark, so I couldn't properly make out what was there.  I subsequently went back in the daylight last year to have a proper look around.  The Remains of Ribbleton Hall in Grange Park, Preston The Remains of Ribbleton Hall are at the site of a Medieval Manor House first documented in 1201. The later Ribbleton Hall was built in 1865 for Thomas Birchall, a local solicitor and Mayor of Preston. After the death of Thomas Birchall the house was used ...
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The Mystery of Preston's Last Tram Stop

The Mystery of Preston's Last Tram Stop I can't remember how I first came to be looking at this roadside shelter structure.  I have passed it on numerous occasions, which amounts to several hundred times, at least.  However, I can't say that I have given it a second look, until recently.  I'm not sure how it first came to my attention.  I think that there was a picture of it on one of the local photographer's Flickr site. The Mystery of Preston's Last Tram Stop When I searched for information about it, the structure was purported to be an 'original historic cast-iron tram shelter'.  To me that was odd thought, as it was positioned somewhere that was not on a historical tram route. The Historic England Blog includes it in an article entitled, "The Stories Behind England’s Street Furniture". Whilst, The Beauty of Transport website also features it in their "Iron Ladies (cast iron tram/bus shelters of the British Isles)" article. The ...

A Victorian Post Box on Market Street in Preston - Royal Cyphers

A Victorian Post Box on Market Street in Preston How many times have I walked past that and not realised that it was different to any of the other ones that I had seen locally? A Victorian Post Box on Market Street in Preston The plaque is inscribed; THIS VICTORIAN LETTER BOX WAS PRESENTED TO THE 1992 GUILD MAYOR ELECT COUNCILLOR MR HAROLD PARKER BY MR ALUN ROBERTS, DISTRICT HEAD POSTMASTER ON TUESDAY 31ST DECEMBER 1991 TO CELEBRATE PRESTON GUILD YEAR 1992 A Victorian Post Box on Market Street, presented to the 1992 Guild Mayor by Royal Mail I had known that Post boxes had Royal Cyphers on them, but just presumed that they had all been replaced over time for ones with ER on them. I hadn't really thought about the ones that may have survived from previous monarchs' reigns. Royal Cyphers that feature on Post boxes I hadn't found the one in Preston in 'real life', I had to resort to the Interweb to find it. The first time that I realised that there might still be some ...

Some Old Gates that appear to have survived the War - Dryden of Preston Foundry

Some Old Gates that appear to have survived the War Gates Manufactured by W. Dryden of Preston I spotted these on Church Street in Preston on Sunday 1st December 2024.  I can't say that I have noticed them before.  I probably thought that they were just a fence.  They would have once acted as an entrance into the former Unitarian Chapel on Percy Street (perhaps formally on Church Street), and its Burial Ground. The Former Unitarian Chapel on an Old Ordnance Survey Map The map can be found on the National Library of Scotland website.  I have included it courtesy of them.  Many old maps can be viewed on the website.  This view shows the  Ordnance Survey   map from the mid nineteenth century that I  have used compared to a relatively modern satellite image.  It is geo-referenced, which mean the features on the map can be matched up and traced side by side with the satellite image. NLoS:    https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-...

Preston Railway Station, Soldiers Free Buffet - MEMORIES by Doris Shaw

An Account of the  Preston Railway Station Free Buffet  The Preston Railway Station Free Buffet MEMORIES by Doris Shaw It was a hot and sticky summer day in late August and I had just finished doing my shopping in Preston and decided that instead of taking the bus home as I was close to the railway station I would return home by the train. I purchased a ticket from the booking office and wandered through the entrance of the station to the platform to wait for my train. The station was hot and noisy and I decided to go into the Station Buffet, which I felt would be quieter and more comfortable than sitting on a bench on the platform whilst waiting for my train. I purchased a cup of coffee and a sandwich, sat at a table and relaxed, my mind travelled back to the war years when I had voluntarily worked in the Station Buffet. I was in my teens and worked for Askew's the booksellers in Preston, when war was declared like many civilians, I was conscripted by the Government for Natio...