Preston is the gateway to Lancashire's beautiful landscape and historical sights. Preston, the administrative capital of Lancashire, is the largest and most important commercial centre in the county. In 2002 HM The Queen grants City Status by Letter Patent on May 15th. Preston's history dates back to the Doomsday Book and to 1179 with the granting of the Charter, which gave the right to hold a Guild Merchant every 20 years. Preston has a great range of events throughout the year, with something to suit all tastes. Using the cities fabulous parks and public squares, these events range from Pop Concerts to Easter Egg Rolling in the park to ice rinks and giant grottos at Christmas.
Giant games and specialist continental markets and pot fairs are regularly at the Flag Market and larger annual events include Mela, Caribbean Carnival, Chinese New Year celebrations, and the Riversway Festival. The famous Preston Guild Hall presents an extensive programme of events in one of the finest entertainment centers in the UK. The Guild Hall also hosts conferences, exhibitions and celebration banquets throughout the year.
Preston and its surroundings have provided evidence of ancient Roman activity in the area, largely in the form of a Roman road which led to a camp at Walton-le-Dale. The Saxons established Preston; the name Preston is derived from Old English words meaning "Priest settlement" and in the Domesday Book appears as "Prestune". During the Middle Ages, Preston formed a parish and township in the hundred of Amounderness and was granted a Guild Merchant charter in 1179, giving it the status of a market town.
The River Ribble provides a southern border for the city. The Forest of Bowland forms a backdrop to Preston to the east while the Fylde lies to the west. At 53°45′N 2°42′W / 53.75°N 2.7°W / 53.75; -2.7, Preston is approximately 27 miles north west of Manchester, 26 miles north east of Liverpool, and 15 miles east of the coastal town Blackpool.
Preston is located on top of a hill to the west of the Pennines. It therefore, like most of inland Lancashire, receives a higher than UK average total of rainfall, and is slightly colder. On 10 August 1893 Preston entered the UK Weather Records, with the Highest 5-min total rainfall of 32 mm. As of November 2008 this remains a record.
