Throughout this year I have been able to delve into Preston’s rich history from cotton mills to battles to parched peas. However, as we approach the end of this year I started to think about Preston becoming a city and what are the turning points in history which wouldn’t have happened without it?
A city by any other name
Before delving into Preston’s impact on history, a quick bit of etymology for you! Preston’s first official mention was in the ‘Domesday Book’ of 1086, its name originally starting as ‘Preost-tun’ or ‘Prestune’ meaning Priest town in old English. This was due to its religious links and apparent founding of a church in the city by St Wilfrid in 705 AD and was built by the River Ribble. The theological beginnings are reflected in the city’s emblem which is the lamb of God, and symbol of St Wilfrid.
Religious epicentre
Preston was a hotbed for Catholic resistance and religious expansion, most notably from the Mormons. In 1837, missionaries from the United States, including Heber C. Kimball, arrived in Preston and began preaching, attracting local converts and holding meetings at venues such as the Vauxhall Chapel. The city became the location of the first baptisms of British converts in the River Ribble on 30 July 1837. The city’s significance is commemorated today by the Preston England Temple, one of the largest Mormon temples in Europe, symbolising Preston’s lasting influence on the global expansion of the LDS Church.
Read more: Preston in the Picture
Industrial Boom
Preston’s economy in the period 1700–1900 was transformed from a modest market town into one of the major industrial centres of Lancashire through the rise of the cotton industry during the Industrial Revolution. Cotton manufacturing grew rapidly from the late 18th century, with the first spinning mill established around the 1770s. By the middle of the 1800s around 80 per cent of Preston’s workforce relied on working in cotton mills or maintaining or building.
A key figure in this transformation was Preston born inventor Sir Richard Arkwright who created equipment such as the water frame and spinning machine which massively sped up the expansion of the cotton industry in Northern England.
Additionally, due to Project Gutenberg in 1816, Preston became the first town in England outside London to be lit by coal-gas, a development led by the newly formed Preston Gas Company, with some of the early gas pipes reportedly made from surplus musket barrels to save costs.
Read more: Hard times in Preston 1861
The Battleground
Preston occupies an important place in British political history as the site of two key turning points in national power struggles. In 1648, the Battle of Preston during the Second English Civil War saw Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian army decisively defeat Royalist and Scottish forces, a victory that effectively ended serious military resistance to Parliament and directly paved the way for the trial and execution of Charles I, changing the course of English governance forever.
In 1715, Preston again became significant and was in fact the site of the last battle on English soil. The battle was between Scottish forces, Lowlanders who supported the ruling royal family the Hanover and Highlanders who supported the Stuarts, the previous and exiled ruling family. Preston was pro-Jacobite, with some locals being hanged for their support. The Jacobites were on their way to fight in Liverpool but stopped in Preston and due to the warm welcome and hospitality they received they dawdled giving the Hanoverians time to assemble and catch up with them. The Jacobites were defeated at Preston, solidifying the Hanoverians control of the country.
Read more: Why the battle of Preston changed history forever
Social Waves
Preston gave birth to some of the most impactful social movements including the temperance movement (abstinence from alcohol). At one of the group’s meetings it was said that the ‘one thing ‘Proud Preston’ ought to be really proud of was that it was the birthplace of total abstinence’. In 1832, Joseph Livesey and six others in Preston signed the first total abstinence pledge, giving rise to the idea of teetotalism and inspiring similar societies across Britain. The term Preston in 1833 when another member, Richard Turner, declared, “I’ll be reet down out and t‑t‑total for ever.”
A Tale of One City
In 2002 during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Preston was officially granted city status, the 50th city to be given the title, a recognition that reflected its rich history and lasting impact on Britain and beyond. From its religious beginnings to its industrial prominence with cotton mills and innovations by Richard Arkwright, to pivotal battles and social movements like teetotalism, Preston made significant contributions to national events and culture. However, this is only scratching the surface as communities around Preston continue to discover, learn and promote even more about Preston.
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