A History of Lancaster Book

Following the building of a Roman fort in the first century A.D. on the main west-coast road to the north at the crossing of the river Lune, Lancaster's position on the strategic map of Britain was assured. This position, and its significant royal castle built on the site of the Roman fort in Norman times, often drew more attention to the town than it desired. In addition, as county town of a northern county, it was uncomfortably close to the Scottish border. This proximity put it on the route of invading armies on at least four occasions, the last being 1745, and may account for the relative scarcity of medieval documents relating to Lancaster. By the late 18th century its county had developed from a backward and sparsely populated area into one of the most advanced and populous industrial societies in Europe, although the civil and political framework lagged a long way behind. Assizes for the county were a major source of prosperity for Lancaster, the character and economic history of which was often at odds with the more industrialized area to its south. The polite Georgian architecture reflects its prosperity during this period, but the 19th and 20th centuries saw many changes. The town of merchants became a town of industry, with textile mills, engineering works and workers' terraced housing. The late 20th century saw deindustrialization and growth in the service sector, especially in the provision of education and health care. This extensively illustrated work is a new and substantially-revised edition of the first modern full-length history of Lancaster, covering the two thousand years of its development. Wide-ranging in both its coverage and appeal, it explores the archaeology, religion, politics, industry, and administration of the town. It also looks at the living standards and lives of ordinary inhabitants, placing developments within their national as well as local context and bringing to life the often turbulent past of Lancaster. With a new opening chapter and a conclusion bringing the town's history right up-to-date, this broad-ranging history of Lancaster will be of interest to anyone with an interest in this most fascinating of towns.Read More