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Lancaster is a city in England. Lancaster city in England things to do in Lancaster

Performance for children 6+. Sherlock Holmes. Theater behind the Black River in London Mr. Sherlock Holmes is the best detective in the world. He can unravel any complex case and find the criminal without even leaving his famous room on Baker Street. Do you know what a detective's room looks like? It is filled with many intricate devices, magnifying glasses, microscopes and bottles of chemical reagents. And all this helps him in investigating the incredible incidents taking place in London and its environs... But now he is already on stage, which means that he has taken on another case and the incredible adventures of the noble Sherlock Holmes and his brave Doctor Watson await us.

Comedy "Angels on the Roof" The production "Angels on the Roof" is an eccentric comedy that will give viewers a story about how you should never lose hope in life. The main character couldn’t find a better remedy for her problems than going to the roof of a high-rise building. But the unexpected meeting does not allow her to make a mistake - on the contrary, it gave her a second chance. And she will overcome life’s difficulties not alone, but together with other heroes.

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City of Lancaster

Lancaster- the administrative center of Lancashire, England. The population of the city is about 50 thousand people.

The official title of the British monarch includes the title Duke of Lancaster. The city itself received city status in 1937 for its “long-standing connections with the crown.”


In the Domesday Book, the first land census in England, conducted in 1086 by William the Conqueror, Lancaster is mentioned under the name Loncastre. The name of the city comes from the name of the river Lon and the old English name "Castre", meaning "fort".

On the site of modern Lancaster, a Roman fort was located during Roman rule. After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, Lancaster became the fiefdom of William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, a castle was built in Lancaster on the site of a Roman bastion. In the Middle Ages, the castle jury sentenced more people to hang than any other court in the country. For which Lancaster earned the nickname “the hanging city.”

The traditional emblem of Lancaster is the red rose. In contrast to York, whose symbol was a white rose. The war that broke out in the 15th century between the ducal houses of Lancaster and York was called the “Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses.”

The modern city has preserved many historical buildings, created mainly in the Georgian style. Among the oldest historical buildings are Lancaster Castle, St. Mary's Church and King Edward's Memorial.


The economy of modern Lancaster is primarily service-oriented. And Lancaster's manufacturing includes animal feed, textiles, chemicals, paper, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery and mineral fibers. In recent years, the city has been developing a high-tech, information and communications technology industry.

Lancaster Attractions

Lancaster Theater (The Grand Theater)- one of the oldest theaters in Britain, which opened its doors to spectators in 1782.

Nuffield Theater– one of the largest professional theater studios in Europe.

Peter Scott Gallery- the largest collection of Lancastrian ceramics.

Gallery of modern art.

Lancaster from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Lancaster.

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Lancaster, the main city of the county of Lancashire of the same name, has a long history. This city appeared at the mouth of the Lun River, about ten kilometers from the sea coast, more than a thousand years ago. Once upon a time there was a Roman settlement here. Lancaster began, like most medieval cities, with a castle, which remains here to this day and attracts travelers from everywhere. In addition to its external beauty, the castle is also surrounded by dark legends: in the Middle Ages, witches were tried and executed here.

The first thing to see in Lancaster, of course, is the powerful and impregnable castle - with a donjon, the Armorial Hall with a wonderful collection, dungeons and prison cells.

How to get to Lancaster

By air - to Blackpool, Manchester or Liverpool international airports (international flights). By train - from Manchester Airport, as well as from Edinburgh or London. By bus from one of several national or international companies, including Eurolines.

Search for flights to Manchester (closest airport to Lancaster)

A little history

Lancaster acquired official city status at the end of the 12th century, becoming the heart of the hereditary feudal lands of the corresponding house. In the 14th century, the city suffered greatly from the Scots, and during the revolution - from supporters of the royal house, who besieged the castle three times. By the 18th century, the city had come to life and expanded with a busy trading port. After the Stuart dynasty returned to the throne, a prison was built in Lancaster Castle, which served its functions until the 20th century and became the longest functioning medieval prison in Europe.

In the most recent period of history, Lancaster has become a serious educational center known throughout the country. A university was opened here in 1964, which is today included in the top ten universities in the UK. The university campus is recognized as the safest in the United Kingdom.

Entertainment and attractions in Lancaster

The first thing to see in Lancaster, of course, is the powerful and impregnable castle - with a donjon, the Armorial Hall with a wonderful collection, dungeons and prison cells that can be visited. Guided tours of the castle are available. Throughout the year, the castle hosts various events, ranging from opera concerts to children's matinees and Shakespearean productions. And on one of the slopes of Castle Hill you can see the ruins of Roman baths and fortress walls.

Next to the castle stands an 11th-century monastery, and behind is the former home of the castle keeper and ardent witch hunter Thomas Covell. The building is Lancaster's oldest town house and today houses the Museum of Childhood, with a collection of toys and games from the 18th century onwards, as well as an impressive collection of Regency furniture and art from the period.

Today the castle is officially in the possession of Her Majesty, who bears the title of Duchess of Lancaster.

4 things to do in Lancaster:

  1. Take a ride on the Fellsman steam locomotive through the most beautiful places from Lancaster through Preston and Blackburn to Long Preston (this can only be done in the summer and only on a Wednesday).
  2. Take a boat ride on the Lancaster Canal.
  3. Try traditional Lancashire dishes: fish pie, Lancashire butter pie, Lancashire cheese pie and the most famous local dish - Lancashire hotpot (local lamb baked in a pot with potatoes and onions).
  4. Admire the Greaves Park Restaurant on Bowerham Road, which occupies the entirety of a lovely Grade II listed mansion. If you wish, it is pompous to have lunch there.

But besides the castle, the city is full of interesting sights. Among them is the Church of St. Mary, the exact date of construction of which is unknown, but presumably dates back to the 15th century. Also interesting is St. Peter's Cathedral, built in the neo-Gothic style in the mid-19th century. The ancient Town Hall from the late 18th century on the market square today houses the city museum, one of the main treasures of which is considered to be a Roman tombstone dating back to 100 BC. e. In front of the Town Hall in the square stands a monument to Queen Victoria, designed by Herbert Hampton and given to the city by Lord Ashton in 1906.

Lancaster

In addition, the Evangelical Church of St. John is interesting, which is located away from the center, on North Road, and belongs to the monuments of the second category. The church was built in the 18th century and looks more than picturesque from the outside. Lancaster also has an interesting maritime museum in the old customs house on St George's Quay, a Countryside Museum in a tiny 18th-century cottage that shows what life was like in glorious England in the early Victorian period, and several art galleries. The city's cultural life is also supported by two main theatres: the Grand Theatre, one of the oldest in the UK, and the Dukes Theatre. In addition, the largest European student theater at the university, the Nuffield, is open in Lancaster.

Williamson Park is an interesting city attraction. Here, on 54 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, residents love to relax in their free time, admiring the coastline and landscapes of the Lake District. Williamson Park has a butterfly greenhouse, a mini-menagerie and an aviary. The Dukes Theater also stages annual open-air performances here. The park is famous not only for its natural beauty, but also for its structure, nicknamed the “Taj Mahal of the North.” This is a memorial complex named after the same Ashton, a millionaire entrepreneur who ordered its construction in honor of his beloved late wife. This memorial most closely resembles a small full-scale Romanesque cathedral like the Vatican or London. On its second floor there is an observation deck, and inside there is an art gallery.

Lancaster hosts a wide variety of events and festivals every year. In October it is an open (free) open-air music festival, in November there is a colorful fireworks display. The most famous and significant event is the Tournament of Roses, whose concept and name take us back to the 15th century, during the Wars of the Roses (that is, the houses of Lancaster and York). Today, the Battle of the Roses is a sporting battle between university students in these two cities, and many Britons come here at this time to cheer on their own.

    This term has other meanings, see Lancaster (meanings). City of Lancaster Lancaster Country USA ... Wikipedia

    Lancaster, a city and port in Great Britain in the estuary of the river. Loon, in Lancashire. 49.5 thousand inhabitants (1971). Production of linoleum, oilcloth, plastics, artificial fiber fabrics; mechanical engineering. University, observatory...

    Lancaster, a city in the eastern United States, in the state of Pennsylvania. 57.7 thousand inhabitants (1970; with suburbs 319.7 thousand). Center of important village X. district; trade in livestock and tobacco. There are 56 thousand people employed in industry (1969). Metalworking,... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

    Coordinates: 54°02′49″ N. w. 2°47′54″ W d. / 54.046944° n. w. 2.798333° W d. ... Wikipedia

    - (Lancaster) a city in the North American state of Pennsylvania, on the Coneotoga River. College of Franklin and Marshall (German Reformed), with a library of 13,000 tons; 26 churches, several public libraries, 3 national and 4 private banks, 10 newspapers and 3... ...

    - (Lancaster, al. Lancastria) the main city of the English county of the same name, on the River Lune. A castle from the time of Edward III, a theater, cotton and silk factories, iron, furniture and locomotive factories. Coastal trade... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

    Lancaster: Lancaster city in England Lancaster county in England (Lancashire) Lancaster, Bert American film actor Lancaster (California) city in the state of California, USA Lancaster (Massachusetts) city in the state ... ... Wikipedia

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses raged. The descendants of the kings of the High Middle Ages killed each other, if not completely, then almost. The war was fought between the Lancastrian and York branches of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Lancastrian - because the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of King Henry VI, who became one of the victims of this war, bore the title of Duke of Lancaster. And, of course, they owned Lancaster Castle.

Henry Tudor, the winner of the War of the Roses, took, in addition to the royal title, also the title of Duke of Lancaster.

The Duchy of Lancaster still exists today.

The guide talked about how the duke arrives, holds court in the castle, listens to the complaints of his subjects, and appoints officials.

Actually, he meant Elizabeth II.

They, the Lancastrians, are not interested in the fact that, among other things, she is also the queen of something. What matters is that she is the Duke of Lancaster.

It's the Duke, not the Duchess.

But still – “Her Majesty’s Prison, Lancaster Castle.” Her Majesty, such a paradox.

It is prohibited to bring drugs into the grounds of Lancaster Castle. You can get pretty rough. And also, you cannot facilitate the escape of prisoners. Well, and a couple more equally ridiculous medieval prohibitions. For each violation there is a real sentence.

Part of Lancaster Castle began to be used to hold prisoners back in 1196. And it still is.

In order not to go far, there is a courtroom right there in the castle. The first meeting was in 1198, and the last...

No, for now. The deliberations continue, gentlemen of the jury.

Myths and facts

Lancaster Castle was built by Roger de Poitou (Poitevin), one of the sons of Roger de Montgomery, a comrade of William the Conqueror.

He received possessions on the Lahn River from King William Rufus somewhere in 1097-1098, and lost them in 1102. During this period, around 1100, the castle was built.

Roger de Poitou for his rebellion against the new king, Henry of Beauclerc, was deprived of all his possessions in 1102 and expelled from England.

A few years later, Henry I gave Lancashire to his nephew, Stephen of Blois.

Stephen himself became king in 1135. This was not entirely legal - while Matilda, the daughter of Henry Beauclerc, was alive, to whom all the lords had sworn allegiance even earlier as the heir to the throne. It took nineteen years of Anarchy to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both sides.

Matilda's uncle, King David I of Alba, also took part in this fight, on the side of his niece. And, in the meantime, he captured some English lands, including Lancaster. By the way, he significantly strengthened the castle and practically rebuilt it. Then, however, when the Anarchy ended, David I returned Lancaster to England in exchange for other possessions.

In 1190, Richard the Lionheart granted Lancaster to his younger brother John. It was under John the Landless that the first prisoners appeared at Lancaster Castle. And still is.

In 1199, John himself became king, and Lancaster Castle became royal property.

In 1265, King Henry III granted Lancaster and Lancashire to his youngest son Edmund. Two years later, Edmund, among other things, also received the title of Earl of Lancaster, although he was already Earl of Leicester. He died in 1296, during the siege of Bayonne, due to the fact that the money ran out and there was nothing to pay the army.

His son Thomas became the new Earl of Lancaster and Leicester. In 1298, he participated in the defeat of the Scots at Falkirk as part of the royal army.

And in 1310-1312, together with other powerful counts, he rebelled against King Edward II. It was Thomas's people who executed the royal favorite Piers Gaveston on his land.

Over the next decade, Thomas Plantagenet, Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Salisbury (the last two titles were inherited from his father-in-law), either made peace with the king or again rebelled. He simply took power over England from the king’s hands.

In 1322, Thomas' fortunes changed. His army was defeated by the king at Boroughbridge. The Earl of Lancaster was captured and executed. The counties of Lancaster and Leicester were abolished, and Lincoln and Salisbury returned to the earl's former wife.

In 1326, Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer rebelled against Edward II and overthrew him. One of the first to join the rebels was Henry Plantagenet, Thomas's younger brother. After the victory, the counties of Lancaster and Leicester were restored to him. He died in 1345.

His son, also Henry, is known by the nickname Grosmont - after the castle where he was born.

Henry Grosmont is a famous commander of the Hundred Years' War. He took part in many battles and captured many cities. The most impressive is the battle of Oberoche Castle in 1345, where the British under the command of Grosmont defeated a French corps four times larger than them.

In 1348, the Earl of Lancaster, Leicester and Derby also became the Earl of Lincoln; this county was controversial, so the king granted it to Grosmont.

And in 1351, King Edward III awarded the County of Lancaster the status of a dukedom. Before this, there was only one duke in England, the Black Prince, heir to the throne. Henry Grosmont was second. Moreover, the Duchy of Lancaster was granted very broad rights of autonomy, a state within a state.

Grosmont was not only a knight and commander, but also a writer, although he wrote only one book of philosophical content.

He died in 1361 from the plague.

He had no sons. One of the daughters died shortly after the death of her father. The entire inheritance went to the youngest daughter, Blanca.

Blanca was married to John of Gaunt, one of the sons of King Edward III, and, one might say, a pupil of Henry Grosmont.

In general, the ducal title could not be inherited through the female line. Edward III abolished it, but soon restored it again as a new creation. What won't you do for your son?

John of Gaunt was also one of the notable participants in the Hundred Years' War, although he was not as famous as his older brother. But still.

Edward III died in 1377, and the Black Prince died even earlier, in 1376. His ten-year-old son, Richard II, became King of England.

For some time Uncle John ruled for the young nephew. Then Richard had favorites and palace intrigues began, so that in 1383 John of Gaunt lost real power, although he remained in the king’s favor.

The Duke of Lancaster died in 1399. All his possessions were confiscated.

There was great tension between the cousins, King Richard and Henry Bolingbroke, the eldest son of John of Gaunt. To the point that Henry was expelled from England.

But he didn’t resign himself.

In the same 1399, Henry Bolingbroke returned illegally to the Island, rebelled and forced his cousin to abdicate the throne. Then, just in case, he imprisoned him in Pontefract Castle and starved him to death.

The new king Henry IV made his thirteen-year-old son, also Henry, Duke of Lancaster. And also - the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cornwall - all the main titles after the royal one.

In 1413 Henry Bolingbroke died and young Henry became king. King Harry had no children at the time of his accession, there was no one to transfer the title to, the Duchy of Lancaster was liquidated, the possessions were annexed to the property of the Crown.

The end to the War of the Roses was reached on August 22, 1485 at Bosworth Field. The winner, Henry Tudor, was the great-grandson of the illegitimate (later legitimized) son of John of Gaunt. In accordance with a special decree, his grandfather and great-grandfather had no rights to either the crown of England or the Duchy of Lancaster.

That is why Henry VII decided to become not only the king of England, but also - separately - the Duke of Lancaster. So that there is no longer any doubt about its legitimacy.

So to this day, the Duke of Lancaster is a separate title, the duchy has autonomy, but the king of England (Great Britain, the United Kingdom) always becomes the duke. Or the queen.

Lancaster Castle was a prison for a long time, which it still is. But - not anymore - but before, death sentences were carried out regularly here. The case of the Pendle Hill witches in 1612 was especially notorious. Then nine women and two men were hanged for witchcraft in Lancaster.

The spirits of these witches (or wrongfully accused women) and many other people executed in Lancaster regularly haunt the castle. At night - in a visible form, during the day - as an invisible substance. The guides are already accustomed to the fact that visitors to the castle will either be touched or pushed by someone invisible.

What to see

You can enter the castle courtyard freely. But the buildings can only be visited as part of a tour. You can sign up for a tour here; they start every hour, more often on weekends. No pre-booking is needed.

The guide takes the group through the many rooms of the castle, from the basement to the Courtroom and the Earl's Hall (oddly enough, the Earldom of Lancaster also exists, along with the Duchy). At the end is a part of the prison where there are currently no prisoners.

Lancaster.

A very unique city. It’s interesting to visit, even if there was nothing there except the city itself.

But there it is.

And besides the castle there is.

Next to the castle is the Priory Church of St Mary. So monumental, shockingly impressive. The church (of course, the church as such, not this building) was founded around 200. At that time, Christianity was not particularly welcomed in the Roman Empire, but there were Christians. Where is Rome and where is Lancaster, the far outskirts of the empire.

The city museum is also impressive. There's a little bit of everything, but it's very interesting.

If you look at the city from the hill where the castle is and, in the distance rises something that strongly resembles an Orthodox church. Moreover, it’s not even very small. But no. This Memorial is sort of like a monument, it was built by the millionaire and industrialist Lord Ashton in memory of his second wife Jessie. The Ashton Memorial Gallery can be accessed, but not to the very top.

Lancaster is located at the latitude of Tula and Novosibirsk. However, you can see palm trees on the street here, although not often.

On some streets and paths there are signs prohibiting horse riding. For everything else, it’s possible.

Memorials from this time have survived in England to this day. The architecture of the 12th century can be seen in the example, and such sights as will demonstrate the architects of other centuries in the history of the United Kingdom.

Lancaster castle is open daily from 9.30. until 17.00. The first excursion is at 10.00, the last one is at 15.00. or at 16.00).
The cost of the excursion is £8.
How to get there: the castle is located almost next to Lancaster railway station. And in general, the city is small, it’s impossible to get lost.
There are quite a few trains to Lancaster. Not every ten minutes, but still.
From Birmingham (New Street) to Lancaster it takes 1 hour 52 minutes. From Manchester – an hour or a little more. From Glasgow - about two hours. From London (Euston) - from two and a half to three and a half.
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