The lamb is the Lamb of St Wilfred, who is the Patron Saint of Preston. The letters "PP" are taken to mean "Princeps Pacis", that is, Prince of Peace, or, as some would like it to be "Proud Preston" or "Priests Town". On an earlier Coats-of Arms the lamb was standing and three letter "P's" were depicted on it. The reason for the three letters was to give a general balance to the Coat-of-Arms, which in later years was changed to two to provide a more modern theme.
Time Line - A Thousand Years
1066
Battle of Hastings, Preston is “given” to Roger de Poictou.
1080’s
Doomsday book is written.
1102
Roger de Poictou is expelled. Preston again becomes the
property of the crown.
1179
Preston is granted a charter by Henry II. The charter includes the right to a Guild Merchant.
1322
Robert the Bruce fired the town.
1343
Preston is recorded as “being richer than any other city
or town in Lancashire."
1565
Preston gains a system of government which remains (almost)
unchanged to this day.
1566
The Charter of Elizabeth I documents the hope that Preston shall “remain the Borough of peace and tranquility for all future time”.
1630
The Great Plague arrives in Preston and claims hundreds of
lives.
1644
On 27th February 1644, the ‘Committee of both Kingdoms’ laid a post from London to Preston.
1648
Royalists defeated at The Battle of Preston.
1680
First detailed plan of Preston is created by Edward Kuerden.
1684
Charles II amended Preston’s Charter.
1711
Authur Devis – Preston’s most famous painter and
landscape artist is born.
1728
is painted by Nathiel Buck.
1768
Richard Arkwright perfected the first powered spinning wheel.
1776
The Jesuit priest and popular philanthropist, Father , arrives
in Preston.
1777
First cotton mill erected. Cotton will dominate the town for 150 years.
1794
is born. He founded the temperance movement in 1834 and was a philanthropist to the town, an author and pioneer.
1799
erects the first house in Winckley Square.
1803
took three years to construct and was open for business towards the end of 1803.
1804
The death of John Horrocks.
1815
was founded. Preston was the first provincial town to install public gas lighting.
1828
is founded.
1842
by a detachment of the 72nd Highlanders.
1852
erected, by public subscription, in Winckley Square.
1853-54
20,000 cotton workers locked out of factories.
1854
Designed by Joseph Hansom, St Walburges Church opens.
1857
75 cotton mills now in use.
1865
The death of .
1867
"New" Gothic Town Hall is opened.
1869
The impressive 309ft spire is added to St Walburges Church.
1870
Preston Royal Infirmary is opened on 1st January.
1888-89
Preston North End Football Club is one of the founder members of the Football League and become the first winners of the Football League.
1892
Albert Dock is opened, together with rail
links. (The dock area is now called Riverway).
1893
is opened.
1900
Electric carriage works in Strand Road now produce trams.
1902
The Guild displays a new dynamic phase in industrial
development.
1907
Cotton begins to decline. First concerns over the viability
of the dock development voiced.
1914
World War I. Preston becomes a major railway centre and key
mobilisation base.
1916
"Preston Pals" almost annihilated on 23rd July, at Bazentin-le-Petite, Northern France.
1925
The first electric tram arrives, but unemployment is rising.
1930's
New Housing boom - over 400 homes a year completed. 12 new schools and nearly 10 miles of sewers.
1938
Preston North End Football team win the "Wembley
Cup".
1939
World War II and re-armament.
1945
15th August - the Mayor announces the end of hostilities from the Town Hall steps.
1947
The "Ides March". The Town Hall is destroyed by fire.
1950's
Cotton mills continue to close after the war boom.
1963
Aircraft production includes Jaguar, Concorde
and Tornado aircraft.
1979
Preston celebrated the Octocentenary, the 800th
anniversary of the Guild. Preston Dock is closed.
1980's
Job losses at Courtaulds and British Leyland.
1988
publishes her book "A Walk Around Winckley Square".
