PRESTON

MY BELOVED PRESTON

My first trip to Preston was in August 2003, followed with subsequent trips in 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2018. My objective of visiting this small town called Preston was because my cousins (Hooi) are residents, here. Every visit to my cousin place is interesting – as I get to stay at my cousin's house while traveled to nearby places in Preston. Until December 2018, I was moved in to stay in my cousin's hostel – from November 26 until December 12, 2018.

PRESTON MARKET XMAS MOOD

 

The nearby places - about one hour to and fro Preston - are Blackpool, Morecambe, Lake District, LiverPool and Lytham.  On my separate three trips I had covered most of the above-mentioned places.

PRESTON TOWN CENTRE

During my two weeks stay here, I was able to do a research on Preston, whereby I took long walks to the town centre- where I found the “Preston Heritage Walk” which startsfrom Preston Town Hall – Preston Guild Hall – County Sessions House – Flag Market – Harris Museum & Art Gallery – Yates Jewelers – Miller Arcade – Minister of St John – Arkwright House – Stoneygate – Avenham Park – Com Exchange – Black Horse - Preston Market.

WRITER POSING AT THE FLAG MARKET AND CENOPATH

I attempted to see – Preston Town Hall, Preston Guild Hall, Sessions House, Flag Market, Cenopath, Harris Museum, Preston Market and the Minister of St John.

TOWN HALL

SESSIONS HOUSE

I started my trail at Preston Town Hall, Lancaster Road was designed by Sir Arnold Thornely and opened in 1933. The figures on the facade represent Henry II (who granted the first Charter to Preston), Health, Education and Trade.

Cross over to Preston Guild Hall, a theatre and concert hall built in 1972 to commemorate the Preston Guild Merchant.

Opposite the guild Hall stands the county Sessions House a Grade II listed building with Wren style tower. At the foot of the tower are the figures of Hercules and Minerva representing strength and wisdom (1903).

Make my way down Harris Street, opposite the Guild Hall towards the Flag Market, on the right is the cenotaph (1926).

Overlooking the Flag Market is the Harris Museum & Art Gallery. James Hibbert designed the magnificent Grade I listed building in 1892.

HARRIS MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

The Preston Market was my usual place for lunch – opened in 1871, the Victorian roof canopy still protects the traders and remains one of Preston's finest Victorian structures. General market days – Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat. Flea market days are Tues/Thurs.

 

PRESTON MARKET

Preston is a city and administrative centre of Lancashire, England located on the north bank of river Ribble. It houses the main campus of the University of Central Lancashire and is home to Preston North End F.C., a founder of the football League and the first English football champions. Preston and its surrounding area have provided evidence of ancient Roman activity – in the form of a Roman road which led to a camp at Walton-le-Dale The Angles established Preston- its name derived from Old English meaning “priest's settlement” and in the Domesday Book recorded 'Prestune'. In the Middle Ages, Preston was 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. Preston was a boom town – textile manufacturing, engineering centre with large industrial plants.

AUGUST 2003-AUGUST 2007- APRIL 2010- MAY 2015- NOV 2018