Lancaster

Introduction

Located between the Lake District National Park (north), Yorkshire Dales National Park (north-east) and the moors of the Forest of Bowland (south-east), Lancaster (pop. 52,000) is a laid-back town with a long history.

The city was founded in Roman times and owns its name from its river, the Lune, and its Roman castrum (fortifications). Lancaster was the traditional county town of Lancashire, although the county council has now moved to Preston.

Lancaster played an important role in the slave trade in the 18th century, along with Bristol and Liverpool, and most of the city's architecture is indeed Georgian.

Interesting Facts about Lancaster

• Lancaster's name derives from "Loncastre" in the Domesday Book of 1086, meaning "river fort" - combining "Lon" for the River Lune and "castre" meaning fort in reference to the Roman garrison that once stood where Lancaster Castle now sits.
• The city boasts more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in England for its size, making it one of the most vibrant cities in the North.
• Lancaster Castle earned the grim nickname "the Hanging Town" because the Lancaster Assizes court sentenced more people to be hanged than any other court in the country outside London.
• Nine of the ten infamous Pendle witches were executed in 1612 at Gallows Hill, the very spot where the romantic Ashton Memorial now stands in Williamson Park.
• Lancaster was the former capital of Lancashire before county capitals were abolished, and the city didn't receive official city status until 1937 despite being granted its first charter as a market town in 1193.
• The Red Rose emblem of the House of Lancaster became famous during the War of the Roses, a civil war fought against the White Rose of York.
• St George's Quay was one of the busiest ports in the UK during the 19th century, but its prominence was short-lived due to the River Lune silting up.
• Lancaster Castle served as HM Prison until 2011 and is now open to the public for tours, housing a popular café in its courtyard.
• The city is built on the site of three successive Roman forts, with traces of Roman fortification walls still visible today.
• Lancaster was twice destroyed by Scottish forces - first in 1322 during The Great Raid by Robert the Bruce, and again in 1389 after the Battle of Otterburn.
• The Duchy of Lancaster still holds large estates on behalf of King Charles III, who holds the title Duke of Lancaster.
• Lancaster is Lancashire's most northerly city, situated just three miles inland from Morecambe Bay and bordering both Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

History

Ancient Origins and Roman Legacy

Lancaster's history stretches back nearly two millennia, beginning with the Romans who established a fort on the commanding hilltop overlooking the River Lune around 80 CE. The Romans rebuilt this strategic garrison at least six times over the following centuries before abandoning it in the early 5th century. The city's name derives from this Roman heritage - "Lancastre" meaning "Roman fort on the River Lune" as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Today, visitors can still see remnants of this ancient past, including a section of 4th-century Roman wall that stands below Lancaster Priory, alongside the remains of a 3rd-century bath house that likely formed part of the commanding officer's residence. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, William the Conqueror granted Lancaster and its surrounding lands to Roger de Poitou, who established a Benedictine priory and built Lancaster Castle on the site of the former Roman fortification.

Medieval Fortifications and Dark Justice

Lancaster Castle, one of England's most historically significant buildings, became the centrepiece of the city's medieval development when Roger de Poitou constructed the first Norman castle in 1093. The town received its first royal charter in 1193 under King Richard I, granting it the right to hold weekly markets and an annual fair. However, Lancaster's strategic position also made it a target for Scottish raids - the town was destroyed by Scottish forces in both 1322 and 1389, though the castle and priory survived these attacks. The castle gained particular notoriety as a centre of justice, earning Lancaster the grim nickname "the Hanging Town" because its courts sentenced more people to death than any other in England outside London. The most famous case tried here was that of the Pendle Witches in 1612, when ten people were executed for witchcraft after accusations of plotting to blow up the castle. The castle also witnessed the persecution of Catholic priests during the Reformation, with at least eleven Catholic clergymen executed and now commemorated as the Lancaster Martyrs.

Maritime Prosperity and Royal Connections

During the 18th century, Lancaster flourished as one of England's most important ports, its prosperity built upon the triangular slave trade connecting Britain, Africa, and the Americas. The city became accessible to ocean-going vessels, and much of Lancaster's finest Georgian architecture dates from this era of commercial success. However, the silting of the River Lune's estuary eventually ended Lancaster's role as a major port, and today only small boats can navigate so far upstream. Throughout its history, Lancaster has maintained strong royal connections through the ancient Duchy of Lancaster, established 750 years ago in 1265. The monarch always holds the hereditary title of Duke of Lancaster (regardless of gender), and a Royal Charter from Henry IV in 1399 decreed that the Duchy should remain separate from other Crown possessions. Lancaster officially became a city in 1937, and today it serves as the county town of Lancashire whilst housing a rapidly expanding university established in 1964.

Main Attractions

Lancaster Castle

The main attraction in town is Lancaster Castle. Built in 1150 on the remains of the ancient Roman fortifications, it was the property of the Duke of Lancaster. The second Duke was the well-known John of Gaunt. When he died in 1399, King Richard II seized the casle for the crown, but was anyhow deposed by John of Gaunt's son, who became King Henry IV of the House of Lancaster (see History of England). The castle has been the position of the British monarchs ever since.

The castle has served as a prison since 1196, and the dungeon is still off-limits to visitors for this reason. The castle was also the place of trial of the Pendle Witches in 1612, which condemned 10 men and women to death and hanged in the Well Tower for alleged witchcraft. Also note the adjacent Priory Church of St Mary.

Williamson Park