My Lancashire - My accounts of the local area

The following article is a long contemporary report of the Preston Guild Merchant of 1862, one of the most significant civic festivals in Victorian Lancashire. It frames the Guild as a historic institution dating back several centuries, originally formed to protect the rights and privileges of Preston’s freemen and burgesses. Held roughly every twenty years, the “Guild Merchant” was both a ceremonial renewal of civic rights and a major public celebration, combining civic governance, tradition, and large-scale festivity. The piece sets the 1862 Guild against a backdrop of economic hardship and social distress, noting contemporary debate about whether such expensive celebrations were appropriate. Despite this, the Corporation proceeds, partly justifying the event on the basis that it would bring economic benefit through visitors and trade, and potentially contribute to charitable relief funds. The article also reflects on the historical origins of guilds more broadly, tracing them back t...

Extensive and Interesting Discovery of Ancient Royal Treasure The Cuerdale Hoard Most Interesting Discovery of Anglo-Saxon Coins at Cuerdale Friday this week is the anniversary of the discovery of the Cuerdale Hoard, which is now 186 years ago. Between now and then, I am going to post about it on a regular basis. MOST INTERESTING DISCOVERY OF ANGLO-SAXON COINS. On Friday last a large collection of most valuable and interesting Anglo-Saxon coins, and other reliques of olden time, was discovered close to the river Ribble, at Cuerdale, near Preston. We understand that some workmen were employed in removing some ground on the banks of the river, which had become undermined by the action of the water, when they turned up an old leaden chest, containing about ten thousand of the coins alluded to, several silver bracelets, and a quantity of ingots or bars of silver. The coins are of silver, and weigh about twenty grains each. Mr. Assheton, of Downham Hall, near Clitheroe, is the owner of ...

A Slave's Opinion of The War At the Corn Exchange in Preston The Corn Exchange in Preston. The Former Public Hall. When looking for information about the former Corn Exchange in Preston , I came across these articles in the from 1863 in the Preston Chronicle.  The Corn Exchange in Preston is a listed building, but only a portion of it remains.  It is now home to Preston's most unique Restaurant and Bar, called 1842. I knew that the building had been used for meetings and performances later in the nineteenth century, as it had been modified to be the Public Hall.  However, I always thought that when it was the corn exchange it sole purpose would have been commerce and trading.  It is clear from the following articles that it was always used as a general public meeting place, even before it became the much grander Public Hall.  When contributing to the Historic England Missing Pieces Project, via their website, I noticed a 'Pinned Post' (one that's always at the t...

Preston-Then and Now. 1813-1893. The Changes of Half a Century. No. V. Jackson's Farm, Avenham, Preston, circa 1860 PRESTON-THEN AND NOW: 1813-1893. THE CHANGES OF HALF A CENTURY. No. V. The change in Avenham Park is perhaps greater than in any other part of the town, because the conformation of the ground has been greatly altered. At one time this favourite resort of the people was called "Avenham Fields." A narrow lane, between thorn hedges, ran down from the end of the Colonnade to the lower portion of the ground. In reference to the colonnade it may be here stated that though it was never a true Colonnade, the front of the upper storeys of the houses was supported on pillars until about twenty-five or thirty years ago, when the lower storeys were brought forward and the pillars, of course, dispensed with. On the left of the lane was "Jackson's Garden," in the midst of which stood Jackson's Cottage, and on the right a cottage stood close to the two as...