Preston has evidence of Bronze Age life in the Harris Museum in the city centre. Common items for the age; arrowheads, canoes. After that the Romans came, Watling Street Road, Walton, Ribchester, and Norsemen as evidenced by the Cuerdale Hoard.

The town was a small gathering above the River Ribble flood plain and acted as a focus for the area taking advantage of its position at the foot of the Pennines and above the fertile flood plain.



The lowest fordable point and at the limit of the tidal flow enabling vessels to get up the river.

These traders were called Burgesses and were listed by the Guild Merchant. In the 14th century the town was hit by the plague and attacks by the Scots which set it back. It wasn't much more than about 2000 people at this time and huddled around Fishergate and Friargate with a hub of todays Flag Market.

Preston was a regional centre but the region was poor.Over the next 400 years the town grew with the Burgesses building more property in the centre and it gradually expanding. Major landowners ran an agricultural economy. The Derby's, Stanleys, Farringtons, Hoghtons, Rawstornes funded and promoted their own including Members of Parliament.In the 16th century the textile industry began to grow in the region.

Unhelpful events included the return of the plague to Preston in 1631. Also the civil war from 1630 to 1650 caused upheaval with a major battle being won by Cromwell in 1648 at Preston and when Royalist and Scottish armies passed through Preston on their way south. In 1715 King Georges troops defeated a Jacobite Army in Preston.

In 1725 it was reported that Preston has no manufacture.



Early production was based on Hargreaves 'Spinning Jenny' and Cromptons 'Mule' which required hand, horse or windmill to power it. The reason for this being that Preston had no fast running streams so the Arkwrights water frame could not be used.

This factory was a massive undertaking filling a large area close to the centre of the town. A model is in the Harris Museum. High brick walls against the street are typical in Preston, there is one in Roebuck Street.

They are the walls of an early version of mill that pre-dates the large multi-storey glass window type of mill built in the second half of the 19th Century.

Several of Prestons finest buildings came from the cotton moguls. Harris Library and Institute, Miller Arcade. The parks; Avenham, Miller, Moor, Haslam and Ashton were built around the mid-1800's largely to employ people hit by the cotton famine of the 1860's.

The first spinning mill was built by William Collison about 1777 in Moor Lane. In 1785 John Watson built a factory in Lower Penwortham. In 1785 a factory in Dale Street was built which was bought by John Watson in 1803.

The population of Preston grew from 12,000 in 1800 to 70,000 in 1850 and 100,000 by 1880. The housing development was largely ad hoc with building of terraced houses around mills. No made up roads that became full of mud and open sewage. These conditions gradually spread. Church Street, Avenham Lane, New Hall Lane, Friargate all contained closely packed houses with ginnels, industrial buildings, slaughterhouses. Except for Winckley Square with its pleasant Georgian houses.


In the late 19th Century Preston was for 15 years the town with the highest numbers of infant mortalities in Britain with figures of over 250 deaths per 1000. Surprising that with development of transport and communications; canals in 1790's, railways in 1830's, telegraph in 1850's, docks in 1880's, sporting clubs in the 1860's and fine public parks tha1900 Electric Carriage works in Strand Road now produce trams.

1902The Guild displays a new dynamic phase in industrial development.

1907 Cotton industry begins to decline. First concerns over the viability of the dock development are voiced.

1916 'Preston Pals' almost annihilated on 23 July. Bazentin-le-Petite, Northern France.

1920 Preston's economy changes from typical mill town. Diversification includes the new administrative centre of the County Council. The Town has become a major route centre of dock, railway yards and road distribution. Also a major market and service centre for agriculture.

1925 The first electric trams arrive, but unemployment is rising.

1931 Work begins on the Municipal Building. Heavy engineering continues expanding for export worldwide. Expansion into service industries, such as gas, electric and telephones.

1930's New Housing boom - over 400 homes a year are completed. 12 new schools and nearly 10 miles of sewers. Consumer society develops rapidly - motor cars, motorbikes, domestic appliances - some produced locally. Over 20 cinemas and 5 theatres complete the leisure scene.



1938 North End Football Team beat Huddersfield Town to bring the Wembley Cup home. Confidence rises in the town's economy, as Preston withstood the Depression better than most.

1945 15 August - the Mayor announces termination of hostilities from the Town Hall steps.

1947 Old Town Hall burnt down.

1963 Aircraft production includes partnership in Jaguar; Concorde and Tornado aircraft.

1970 Preston and district employment is strongly rooted in new technology, with nuclear and aerospace industries.

1979 Preston celebrated the Octocentenary, the 800th anniversary of the Guild; Queen Elizabeth II joined the celebrations. Decision is taken to close the Dock and redevelop the site.

1980's Preston withstands major job losses at Courtaulds and British Leyland. A time of planning and preparation for the 1992 Guild and preparation of the Dock development to create River sway.

1990's In the last decade of the century, Preston's role as a natural business and administrative centre for Lancashire is re-asserting itself as a dominant employer through to the next millennium. Tom Finney, Preston's most famous footballing hero, is honoured by the Queen and becomes Sir Tom … at last!

2002 HM The Queen grants City Status by Letter Patent on May 15th.