Guest Speaker Dr. David Hunt (left) & PHS President David Hindle (right)
At the recent Preston Historical Society meeting of Monday November 5th the members were treated to an enthralling and interesting evening by guest speaker Dr. David Hunt as to what very early Preston may have been like, and gave the audience an insight into the areas of Roman settlements around Walton-Le-Dale.
Dr. Hunt also talked about the ‘Penwortham Castle’ and the possibility of an earlier church being there in the castle grounds before St. Mary’s church existed and of the graves which were built upon during the construction of the present church.
During the talk, it became quite clear to all that the River Ribble was an important and very significant factor in creating Preston, due to the various settlements made there since mankind roamed the area, and it was obviously apparent that the Romans had played a large part in Preston’s early development.
Dr. David Hunt is a renowned local historian and the curator of Leyland Museum since 1982; he is also the author of the ubiquitous book, ‘A History of Preston’.
The Preston Historical Society, founded in 1948, meets on the first Monday of the month between October and May. Our meetings, which start at 7.15 pm, are held in the Central Methodist Church, Lune Street, Preston.
The annual membership subscription is £10, and admission for visitors to a meeting is only £2.
You can find out more about the Historical Society on their website and also on the Facebook page.
Reviewed by Paul D. Swarbrick & Gillian A. Lawson.