Preston Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city and the administrative centre of Lancashire, England
About Preston
Preston stands at a crossing point over the River Ribble on the main route up the west coast towards Scotland. The Ribble valley together with Yorkshire's River Aire creates the "Aire Gap" where the Pennines can be crossed at low altitude, so there was an east-west route also. "Preston" means "priest town": the church held extensive tracts of land hereabouts. The land near town is fertile and lowland, well-suited to dairy farming. There is a plausible legend that William Shakespeare was in a theatre troupe that toured this area, brandishing their wooden swords at Hoghton Tower and Old Rufford Hall. Preston's position meant that several real armies marched through, and two battles were fought here. It has street names such as Fishergate and Friargate but was never a walled city, "gate" simp
Top Attractions in Preston
Explore the best things to see and do in Preston:
- ★British Commercial Vehicle Museum
- ★Brockholes
- ★Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre
- ★Harris Museum and Art Gallery
- ★Lancashire Infantry Museum
- ★Preston North End
- ★Ribble Steam Railway
- ★Worden Park
Where to Stay in Preston
- 🏨Ashwood Hotel
- 🏨Barton Manor Hotel
- 🏨Garstang Country Hotel and Golf Centre
- 🏨Holiday Inn
- 🏨Holiday Inn Express Preston South
- 🏨Premier Inn Preston Central
Preston Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 13 sections including: