Preston factfile

How to get to Preston
Preston is located in north-west England in the county of Lancashire. It is accessible via the M6 motorway and is served by the West Coast Mainline rail service, which provides high-speed rail links to London, and good local rail links to the rest of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Preston through the ages
Preston's history can be traced back to the Domesday Book. Many of the city's winding cobbled streets and much medieval architecture are still intact.

The spinning frame, which helped to change the face of the textile industry, was invented by Preston man Richard Arkwright in 1768. The British Association for the Promotion of Temperance was formed in Preston in 1835.

Preston was home for a time to American founding father Benjamin Franklin. It was also the site of one of the most historically crucial battles of the English Civil War.

Shopping in Preston
Shopping in central Preston has undergone a major overhaul in recent years with the modernisation of St George's Shopping Centre and the expansion of a number of small independent retailers around the streets of Fishergate and Friargate.

Preston also has a large outdoor market, held four times a week under a picturesque Victorian market canopy next to the Market Hall.

Things to see and do around Preston
Preston is home to a total of six museums, including the Museum of Lancashire and the National Football Museum, an absolute must for football fans.

Army enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum, which tells the story of the part played by Lancashire soldiers in conflicts throughout history.

Natural beauty spots around Preston
Preston is bordered by the River Ribble, where you can take some beautiful riverside walks.

Nearby Beacon Fell Country Park has spectacular views over the surrounding countryside from its 75 hectares of open grassland and moorland. It's home to roe deer, stoats, weasels and hares.

The Forest of Bowland is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covering 312 square miles, which can be explored on foot, on horseback, or on one of the many cycle tracks that cross the forest.

Sport and leisure in Preston
Preston's football team, Preston North End, currently in the Football League Championship, was one of the founding clubs of the original Football League.

Today, Preston is home to two of the largest leisure centres in the region, West View and Fulwood, which offer a range of facilities including climbing walls, archery, swimming pools and squash courts.

Preston's claim to fame
Preston is Britain's newest city. It was awarded city status to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.