Lancaster Tourist Attractions

Lancaster was originally a Roman foundation, Lun-Castrum, the fort on the River Lune. Later, the Saxons built a wooden tower here, which the Normans replaced with a massive keep in 1102. At the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century the site was expanded with round towers and a wall. Since the 17/18th century the castle, which rises high above the river, has served as law courts and prison. It has preserved its almost 82ft/25m-high Norman keep, the Lungess Tower with a small light house known as John o' Gaunt's chair, from which in 1588 the approaching Spanish Armada was sighted. Also interesting are the round Hadrian's Tower (1209, later much altered), the porter's lodge and the Shire Hall (as Lancaster was the county town) with over 600 coats of arms from the 18th century.This is the site where the Lancashire Witches were tried, convicted and condemned to die.The property is owned by HM The Queen in right of her Duchy of Lancaster.

St Mary's church, opposite the castle, is mostly Perpendicular in style from the 14th and 15th centuries. The west doorway is Saxon, the massive tower was added in 1754. The oak-carved choir stalls dating from 1340 and the artistically decorated chancel in Late-Renaissance style are worth seeing.

The Cottage Museum, a tradesman's house built in 1736 and divided into two in 1820, is furnished in the original style.

The Friends' Meeting House of 1690 is where the Quakers used to meet, who belonged to the religious community founded by George Fox (1624-1691).

The Georgian Old Town Hall on the Market Square, built 1781-1783 and restored in 1873, is now a municipal museum. The historical department with prehistoric and Roman exhibits and an interesting exhibition on the development of local industry together with the department on the King's Own Regiment, stationed in Lancaster since 1880, deserve a special mention.

The present-day Lancaster town hall on Dalton Square was commissioned by Lord Ashton in 1909. Other notable buildings are St John's Church (1734) on the North Road, the Judges' Lodgings Museum (1620) in Church Street with a childhood museum and the Custom House on St George Square which has housed a maritime museum since 1985. Skerton Bridge over the Lune constructed by Thomas Harrison 1783-88, was the first road bridge in England to be built without piers. There are good views from the gallery of the Ashton Memorial (1909), which stands on a hill in Williamson Park. Opposite in the Palm House there are exotic plants and butterflies.

The Lancashire County and Regimental Museum traces the history of the county's numerous and prestigious infantry and cavalry regiments. It contains an excellent collection of uniforms, weapons, medals and battle trophies.

Warton Old Rectory was built in the 14th C and is the former home to the de Thweng family, this is a rare medieval stone house with remains of the hall, chambers and domestic offices.

This annual festival takes place in mid-July.

Takes place in mid-April.

This three-day festival takes place in mid-March.