Lancaster Lancashire Lancs UK Maritime Museum, Lancaster Canal, Dukes Cinema, Lancashire UK

Lancaster Castle, Priory, City Museum & Tourist Information

Still in use as a Crown Court and a prison, Grade I listed Lancaster Castle sits high on a hill above Lancaster on the site of previous Roman forts. The castle's unique feature is its consistent use through various centuries from early defensive stronghold through to 19th Female Penitentiary and today a prison still. The castle buildings include the 12th century Keep, a 14th century Witches' Tower and 15th Century Gatehouse. Guided tours run daily between 10.30am to 4pm. The tour lasts one hour with pre-booking recommended as tours are adapted around the building's use. Stories which emerge include those of prisoners, many convicts who were transported to America and Austrailia and the castle's most famous story, that of the Lancashire Witches who faced trial here in 1612. Chief Prosecution witness was the granddaughter of one of the accused! The Judges Lodings Tour is inclusive. Read more via the extensive Lancaster Castle webguide below. Lancaster Castle, Castle Parade, Lancaster LA1 1JY. Tel. 01524 64998. Judges' Lodgings Museum, Church Street, Lancaster, LA1 1YS. Tel. 01524 32808. Lancaster Castle www.lancastercastle.com

Lancaster's historic Priory & Parish Church sits adjacent to the castle and dates from the 11th century (founded 1094), although the present building is mostly 15th century. With Benedictine origins, the site is known to have had a church since 630AD. Roman remains have also been discovered underneath the Chancel indicating an even older heritage. Open Mon to Saturdays 10am to 4.30pm. Tel. 01524 65338 or view the Priory's weblink right for history and details.

The centrally placed Georgian Lancaster City Museum digs even deeper into Lancaster's fascinating history, from the Roman period to the present. The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum is also within. Lancaster City Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1HT. Tel. 01524 64637. Free to enter, the museum concentrates on the history and archaeology of Lancaster.

Lancaster Tourist Information Centre, 29 Castle Hill, Lancaster LA1 1YN, T: 01524 32878.

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Lancaster Maritime Museum and the Lancaster Canal

Like Liverpool, Lancaster's growth was built on the back of trade with America and Africa - including both slaves and commodities. During the 18th century slaving ships sailed from berths situated along St Georges's Quay to West Africa then on to the West Indies. Lancaster's award winning Maritime Museum is housed in the old Georgian Lancaster Customs House on the redeveloped St Georges Quay and dates from 1764. The history of the Port of Lancaster is explored in-depth via exhibitions, events and reconstructions. A cafe, shop and fully accessible toilets are all on-site.

Lancaster's maritime trade history and the fishing heritage of the Lune Estuary and Morecambe Bay are also covered extensively as is the history of the Lancaster Canal. Officially opened in 1797, the Lancaster Canal was initially a 43 mile section between Preston and Tewitfield. The northern reaches to Kendal were completed later in 1819. The aim of this canal was to improve the trade between Kendal, Lancaster, Preston and Westhoughton - limestone was needed for soil in the South and coal went up to supply industry in the North. The recently constructed Ribble Link (the only stretch of canal to be built in the last 100 years in the UK) now connects the Lancaster Canal to the national waterways network.

www.waterways.org.uk www.britishwaterways.co.uk

The Lancaster Canal Towpath walk runs for 27 miles from Lancaster to Kendal taking in striking historic features such as the Lune Aqueduct (the aqueduct is within easy walking distance from Lancaster town centre). The walk commences at the Water Witch public house in Lancaster, once the Canal Company stables. The Lune Aqueduct, the finest of the North West aqueducts, stretches 600ft across and 60ft above the River Lune and was built in 1794-6. The canal passes over the River Lune across the five semi-circular arches of the aqueduct. Lancaster Canal Packet Boats run a regular waterbus service between Lancaster and Carnforth or shorter trips taking in the Lune Aqueduct (see weblink right for details).

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Lancaster Cinema & Lancaster Theatres Concerts

Lancaster's arts mecca Dukes is both a cinema and a theatre with on-site gallery. A superb venue for independent and mainstream cinema, often with themed events running alongside, Dukes together with the Cornerhouse in Manchester and the new FACT Picturehouse & Media Centre in Liverpool is a North West hub for independent cinema and contemporary arts. See the Dukes weblink below for details.

The annual outdoor promenade theare show in Willaimson Park is organised by the Dukes and stands as one of the Lune Valley's most popular events. DUKES, Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QE. Box Office Tel. 0845 344 0642. www.dukes-lancaster.org

The stunning Lancaster Grand Theatre has roots as far back as 1782. This is a grand ornate theatre, one of Lancashire's beauties along with Blackpool's Grand and nearby Morecambe's hopefully soon to be fully restored Winter Gardens. Situated close to the city centre, with adjacent car park the Lancaster Grand offers an eclectic mix of music shows, innovative drama and is particularly good for children's theatre. See the Grand's weblink right for the full programme. Lancaster Grand Theatre, St Leonardgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NL. Box Office open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 3pm and 30 minutes before curtain-up. Tel. 01524 64695 (see the Grand's weblink right for forthcoming shows).

Lancaster's other acclaimed theatre, The Nuffield, is huge and stands as one one of Europe's largest studio theatres. A hub for experimental performance, the Nufield's huge size lends itself to contemporary dance. Linked with the Department of Theatre Studies at the University, new works and emerging artists are a theme here. The Nuffield is renowned for showcasting many performances which then tour internationally. See the Season's performance guide via the weblink right. The Nuffield sits within the university campus off Junction 33 of the M6. Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW. Box Office Tel. 01524 594151. (24 hr answerphone). See the Nuffield Theatre's weblink right for What's On. See also the Lancaster International Concert Series at the Great Hall complex on campus - Box Office tel. 01524 594151, webguide right for details.

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Ruskin Library & Peter Scott Gallery

Housed within an award winning building on the university campus, The Ruskin Library offers both a research reading room and Ruskin Gallery open to the public. The Ruskin Collection held here, drawn mainly from the Whitehouse collection, covers Ruskin's broad range of artistic pursuits and includes drawings, prints, books, manuscripts and photographs.

Everything that Victorian artist and writer Ruskin (1819-1900) ever wrote is within the collection. Alongside a visit to Ruskin's home, nearby Brantwood on the edge of Coniston Water in the Lakes, the Ruskin Library is the definitive site to view his work. The gallery boasts 1,500 Ruskin drawings and 500 prints. Read more via the Ruskin Library's weblink right. Ruskin Library - On the A6, off Junction 33 of the M6. Tel. 01524 593587. Admission Free. Open Mon-Sat, 11am to 4pm. Sun 1pm to 4pm throughout the year.

Also on the Lancaster University Campus, the Peter Scott Gallery offers a varied programme of temporary exhhibitions alongside its acclaimed collection of Royal Lancastrian ceramics which are on permanent display in the John Chambers Ceramics Room. Also here is Lancaster University's acclaimed international art collection which includes both Japanese and Chinese art, a fine selection of 20th century art featuring Barbara Hepworth and the St Ives School, Andy Goldsworthy and Albert Irvin. European artists are also well represented and include Miro, Derain, Matisse and Bissier. Read more about this superb collection via the Gallery's weblink right.

Peter Scott Gallery, Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW. Tel. 01524 593057. Situated on Lancaster University Campus on the A6, off Junction 33 of the M6. Open Mon to Fri 11am to 4pm & Thurs 11am to 9pm. Admission is Free.

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Williamson Park, Tropical Butterfly House & The Ashton Memorial

The Ashton Memorial within Williamson Park dates from 1909 and is the Taj Mahal of the north indeed, with adjacent Tropical Butterfly House and Mini Beast Enclosure. The Ashton folly reigns supreme amongst the many mighty Victorian and Edwardian monuments across Lancashire and Yorkshire. Lord Ashton ploughed considerable funds into his elevated memorial which can be seen for miles around! Williamson Park's outstanding webguide below gives a detailed history of Lord Ashton and the Williamson furtune amassed from the oilcloth and linoleum empire. Ashton's preference was to plough his huge profits into memorials rather than workers' wages. He is also known to have threatened his workers with the closure of the Lancaster factory if they voted labour.

The Williamson Park site affords spectacular views of the Fylde Coast and the Lake District if you make the hike to the highest point. The park's many attractions are a fun-packed day out in itself. Numerous events are often held here including the Dukes Theatre Promenade Season of open air performances. Attractions include the 38 acres of landscaped gardens (this is Lancashire most glorious city park) with many paths, features, walkways and lake. The Mini Beast House is home to spiders, snakes and various creepy crawlies whilst the Tropical Butterfly House is home to around 30 different species of free flying butterflies. The Williamson Art Gallery is on the second floor of the Ashton Memorial and a shop and Pavilion Tea Room Cafe are also on-site. Particularly fascinating within the park are the remains of acclaimed buildings which once stood here including a famous Observatory and old weather station. Details and a guide to the park are via the website below.

Williamson Park, Quernmore Road, Lancaster LA1 1UX. Tel. 01524 33318.www.williamsonpark.u-net.com

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