OFFICIAL

ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

TO THE

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE, EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW,

AND

CALEDONIAN RAILWAYS.

It was well observed of the portion of this line which was first opened, under the title of the Lancaster and Preston Railway, that it formed a direct and easy link in one of the great chains of railway communication between the Metropolis and Scotland. Its course between the Preston and Lancaster termini is very direct, crossing the Preston turnpike-road near Barton Lodge, and passing between Garstang and Cleughton Hall, by Galgate and Scotforth, to Lancaster ; the distance between the above-named important towns being slightly under twenty-one miles.

On this short line there are forty-eight bridges and viaducts, none of which, however, require any special notice, except the bridge which crosses the Wyne and the Galgate Viaduct. The former consists of six semi-elliptical arches, each of 30 feet span, and 262 feet in length; and the latter of the same number of semi-circular arches, the height of the viaduct from the level of the land being 40 feet, and its whole length 265 feet. Both these viaducts are built of brick, and faced with sandstone. The Lancaster Station occupies an area of about six acres, and is situated at the divergence of the Preston and Cockerham roads The elevation is neat, and the offices are commodious.

B

After leaving Lancaster the railway is carried over the river Lune by a handsome viaduct of nine arches, six of stone and three of wood. Another viaduct of six arches, each of 50 feet span, crosses the river Mint near the Kendal Junction.

The embankments and cuttings in the solid granite rock near Tebay and Orton Street vary in depth from 50 to 60 feet. The viaduct which crosses the river Eumont, near Penrith, consists of five arches, each of 50 feet span and seventy feet in height from the surface of the water, and has a very imposing appearance in the landscape. There are no other remarkable features on this line in reference to the undertaking itself, but the country it traverses is proverbial for the beauty of the scenery, its mountains, sea-views, lakes, rivers, picturesque valleys and glens, all of which will be described in their several localities. RESTON is a parish and parliamentary borough in Lancashire, thirty-six and a-half miles northwest of Manchester, twenty and a half miles south of Lancaster, at the head of the estuary of the Ribble. The parish includes Broughton Chapelry and Barton, Elston, Fishwick, Grimsargh-with-Brockholes, Haighton, Lea, Ashton, Ingal, and Cottam-with-Ribbleton townships. Area, 68,035 acres; population, 96,545. This place, which is supposed to have grown out of the ruins of the ancient Rerigonium, a

Roman station, of which the site is now occupied by the town of Ribchester, is supposed, from its having belonged to the monks, to have obtained the appellation of Priests' Town, of which its present name is a contraction. Though it may be difficult to trace its precise origin, it was unquestionably a place of considerable importance prior to the Conquest, soon after which it was granted to Tosti, fourth son of Godwin, Earl of Kent. In 1307, the town was burnt and nearly levelled with the ground by the Scottish army under Robert Bruce; and in 1333, Edward the Third passed through it, on his way to Halidown Hill, where he defeated the Scots, with the loss of 20,000 men, and took Baliol, their king, prisoner. The same monarch, in recompense for the assistance he derived from the inhabitants, gave the

corporation a common seal, and invested them with several valuable privileges. During the war between the houses of York and Lancaster, the Earl of Derby raised considerable supplies of troops in the town for the service of the Lancastrian cause. Soon after the commencement of the Parliamentary War, a battle was fought on Ribbleton Common, to the east of the town, in which the Parliamentarians were commanded by General Fairfax; and in 1645, another battle took place, in which the mayor and several of the principal inhabitants became the victims of their attachment to the Royal cause. In 1648, a fierce engagement took place at the pass of Walton Bridge between the English and Scotch allied forces and a detachment of Parliamentary troops, in which the former were defeated, and the commander, the Duke of Hamilton, and his officers, were compelled to effect their escape by crossing the river at the ford below Walton Bridge. Throughout the whole of this contest, the town of Preston suffered materially for its adherence to the Royal cause. In 1715, the party in the interest of the Pretender obtained possession of the town, which they endeavoured to fortify against the assault of the king's forces; but being attacked suddenly by General Wills, aided by the subsequent arrival of General Carpenter with a party of dragoons, they were compelled, after an obstinate resistance, to surrender. The town suffered severely during this contest, a considerable part of it being burnt by the inhabitants, who were in the interest of the King, to assist the movements of the besiegers. The Lords Widdrington, Derwentwater, and Nairn were taken in the town, and sent prisoners to London, where they were executed.

Time was, when Preston far exceeded Manchester itself in importance; and the celebrated Guild of Merchants, which flourished. more than five centuries ago, showed that commerce and manufactures had at that time risen to a respectable and even wealthy position. Every twentieth year, a jubilee, called "Preston Guild,"* is held for a month from the last week in August.

* This Guilda Mercatoria is the tenure by which the freemen of the borough retain their privileges. It was originally granted by Henry II., and confirmed by the charters of Charles II. It is proclaimed to continue twenty-eight days; the festivities, however, have been limited to a fortnight. The celebration of this jubilee is conducted under the intendence of the mayor and three aldermen, appointed as stewards, who, with the other officers of the corporation, dressed in their robes of ceremony, and preceded by their insignia

super

It is only within the last fifty years that Preston has been raised to its present importance. For a century previous to 1790, the population of the place had been nearly stationary, being about 6000 persons. In the year 1791, a small manufacture of muslin was introduced, and since that time cotton-factories have been gradually established on a large scale, and cotton-spinning now forms the chief business of the town. Several large factories are now engaged in spinning flax. There are several iron foundries, chiefly for making the machinery used in the cotton-manufactures. Leather is extensively made.

The Ribble is navigable at spring tides for vessels of 150 tons, but it is ill adapted for trade.*

of office and the regalia of the borough, walk from the Guildhall, attended by the several trading companies, with their banners and bands of music, and by the principal gentry resident in the neighbourhood, to the ancient cross or obelisk in the Market-place, where a proclamation is read, calling upon all the burgesses, resident and non-resident, to appear before the Stewards of the Guild and three senior aldermen, in open court, and renew their freedom. During this festival, various processions of the municipal bodies take place; balls, concerts, dramatic representations, public banquets, and every species of amusement are provided, and attract an immense concourse from the surrounding districts, to assist at the ceremony and partake of the festivities.

Preston is in the diocese of Manchester. There are no less than fourteen churches in this ecclesiastical district, viz. :

:

Besides these, there are various places of worship for Dissenters. St. Wilfred's, Roman Catholic Church, is a fine building. The parish church, formerly dedicated to St. Wilfred, was a very ancient structure: it has been rebuilt, and dedicated to St. John, and has a handsome square embattled tower, crowned with clustered pinnacles. The whole style is a mixture of the Later Norman and the Early English. The interior contains some ancient monuments.

The House of Correction, situated on the north-east of the town, was built and is arranged on the plan of the great philanthropist Howard. Preston has a grammar-school, blue-coat, national, and many other schools; a provident society, workhouse, savings' bank, and several public libraries; it is the seat of an institution for promoting useful knowledge, which has a good library and museum; also of an agricultural society. Preston is a corporate town, and sends two Members to the House of Commons.

Preston contains some interesting specimens of ancient domestic architecture, which will interest the archeologist. Many of the older buildings were unfortunately obliged to be demolished to make way for the new Town-hall and its adjuncts. A very pleasing account of these relics has been written by Mr. Dobson, the local historian, who has likewise published a lecture on " Preston in the Olden Time," and the "History of the Parliamentary Representation of Preston,❞—all meritorious and interesting productions. The annexed engraving represents the Old Shambles.