Explore the History and Heritage of Lancaster, Morecambe and Surrounding District

The magnificent ocean liners Majestic and Berengaria both ended in the Morecambe area - the Majestic to be broken up at Ward's shipbreakers and the Berengaria as the name for a new holiday camp at Heysham that promised 'cruising on land'.

I was born in number 16 Second Terrace in the middle of the 1930s. My dad was a fisherman just like his father before him and there are photographs of my grandad in the Maritime Museum in Lancaster. So starts this podcast of the memories of a lady who spend her younger years living on Sunderland Point where her daily life was governed by the Morecambe Bay tides.

In the early 1900s Morecambe made a bid to compete in the seaside towers wars with a modest 232 foot structure. What it lacked in height it more than made up with in elegance and exoticism.

A short three quarter of a mile stroll discovering Lancaster's eight canalside mills which were once at the heart of the local economy, whilst at the same time seeing another side of the city.

The Manor of Ashton was mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. The first major building we know of on the site was erected in 1381 by Edmund Lawrence. The Hall now belongs to Lancaster Golf Club, the parkland ideal for an 18-hole course.

There has been a long history of rowing as a sport in the Lancaster and Morecambe area. Early records show there was gig racing on Morecambe Bay and rowing races on the River Lune based at Snatchems Inn. The first regattas were held in 1842 and they even featured in a Royal Commission into electoral bribery in 1865.

Heysham is a new harbour, completed in 1904, and build completely from scratch by the Midland Railway. For the Midland Railway the target was the lucrative Irish Sea trade to Dublin and particularly to Belfast.

The Assizes were an important part of Lancaster life for many centuries. They were the highest court in England, dealing with the most serious cases. Lancaster was the site of the Assizes for the whole of Lancashire after 1362 and they were held two or three times a year, often in spring and autumn. In 1827 it was noted that, to deal with 92 criminal cases and 242 civil ones, 116 barristers had co...

Cockersand Abbey originated between 1180 and 1184 when Hugh Garth, a hermit, established a hospital for the sick, and a sanctuary for lepers, on one of the many low clay hills that lie between Morecambe Bay and the higher ground of present-day Thurnham and Cockerham.

The Cross-Bay walkers Cedric guided helped raise millions of pounds for charity. He also guided celebrities safely across from Melvyn Bragg and Bill Bryson to Judith Chalmers and Victoria Wood. In 1985 he made a very special royal crossing with Prince Philip at the reins of a carriage and four.

The WW2 years were a boom time for Morecambe with RAF personnel being stationed there. To Morecambe's landladies their new guests represented an all year-round source of income.

Over 200 years ago the traveller and writer Richard Ayton undertook a journey around his native land producing a fascinating and amusing an account of his travels as 'A Voyage Round Great Britain'.

1909 was a memorable year in Lancaster and nationally.  Lancaster’s richest citizen, Lord Ashton (James Williamson junior), donated the new town hall which opened in 1909, overlooking his earlier donation of the Queen Victoria Monument and a restyled Dalton Square (1907) and overlooked by the Ashton Memorial which also opened that year in Williamson Park - which was his father’s donation.   The ex...

Lancaster Canal is a pleasant walk, either long distance from Garstang to to Tewitfield, or a short stroll - perhaps taking your dog - along this well maintained city centre section from White Cross to Shaw Bridge.

The 1930s were part of Morecambe's golden age as a resort, which continued into the 1950s. They were built on solid foundations from earlier decades. Central Pier opened in 1869 then lengthened in the early 1870 to 912 feet, a pavilion being added at the seaward end in 1998. West End Pier opened in 1896 and soon ran to 1800 feet.

Lancaster is a City build from stone - but not just any stone. Early buildings used stone from local quarries but as the nineteenth century progressed, cheaper transport allowed a wider range of building stones to be accessed affordably. The Ashton Memorial (1909) in Williamson Park is a combination of Portland Stone (Dorset) on a Cornish granite plinth.

It was the arrival of the railway from Lancaster in 1848 and from Yorkshire in 1850 that propelled Poulton-le-Sands (it officially became Morecambe - after the Bay - in 1889) from a fishing village with some visitors into the major resort it soon became.

At the heart of many British towns is the ‘High Street’ – an old, bustling thoroughfare. Not in Lancaster. Our High Street is only 160 metres long and Georgian in age. Yet it is packed with interesting buildings reflecting the city's development.

Once a fashionable place to be seen today few people are aware of Lune Bank Gardens - or Skerton Park as it is also known. But they are well worth a visit as you will hear Opened in 1905 the gardens form a long, narrow promenade along the north bank of the River Lune, running from Skerton towards Halton. They closely follow the river, and inland the ground slopes steeply up to Halton Road.

The village dates from soon after 1274 and there was a regular market here from 1294. Hornby parish has two Grade I listed buildings, one Grade II* building, 34 are Grade II, and there are four scheduled monuments. This podcast takes us on a gentle stroll around the conservation area and you can extend the walk by following a path along River Lune for about 2 miles from Wenning Bridge.

There are few places in mainland Britain to which access depends on the tide. Sunderland village and Sunderland Point, near Lancaster, are among them. They are well worth a visit.

Lancaster expanded considerably during the Georgian period between 1720 and 1830. The expansion of Lancaster in the Georgian period had two drivers – influence and money, which were connected. The influence came partly from being the commercial and manufacturing centre for north Lancashire with trading links to Ireland and the Baltic. This guide suggests a walking tour of the town that showcases s...

Carnforth Iron Works Railway, known locally as the L’al Cheggie Line, is approximately a 3 mile flat walk. Good footwear is required, and ideally walking on a clear day is recommended to take in the breathtaking panoramic views of Morecambe bay.  It ran from 1866 until 1929. It followed a track from the site on Warton Road opposite the railway station, towards Silverdale and the Scout Cragg Quarry...

Lancaster has had four town halls, it's first in 1363 was a rather modest Tollhouse that housed a Council Chamber as well as cells. This podcast supports our published one no 114 all of which can be found, read and downloaded on our web page at www.lancastercivicsociety.uk and click the link 'Guides, Leaflets and Walks to the Lancaster & Morecambe District

Stroll along the historic St George's Quay in Lancaster and let your mind's eye take you back to the mid 1700s when this was a bustling, important and busy port on the River Lune unloading and storing goods from around the world. Fast forward and enjoy the benefits of the hostelries, restaurants and views from this section of the City.