Dating back to the glory periods of the Roman Empire, Preston made it to our days and, even more than this, transformed into a beautiful and modern city. So, when visiting Preston, it is possible to enjoy everything a modern city has and see fragments of its rich history. In case you are still looking to reasons to visit Preston, here are several interesting facts about Preston that will definitely stir your curiosity.

• The word “teetotal” was invented in Preston

 
If you are not familiar with this word, you should know that it makes reference to abstention from alcohol. During a meeting of the Preston Temperance Society, back in 1833, this word was used for the first time in order to define the need to stay away from alcohol consumption. However, you don’t have to be teetotal in order to visit Preston. There is a rather considerable number of pubs and bars in the city that can be enjoyed by anyone.

• Digitec Aerials Preston 

So, Preston is a hive of activity for small to medium size businesses. One such business is Digitec Aerials Preston. They are service engineers for the Preston area fixing TV Aerials & Satellite Systems . They offer a wider range of services than your typical Sky Engineers since they are not restricted to heights.

• It was the first city in the UK that used gas to light up its streets

 
More than two centuries ago, the streets of Preston were lit with the help of gas lamps. This was possible with the help of a network of gas pipes. Outside London, Preston was the first city in the country that enjoyed such an upgrade. However, some of the standards of those days would definitely not get safety approvals today, since some of those pipes were made out of musket barrels.

• Preston enjoyed the first KFC restaurant made outside North America

 
Fans of the Kentucky Fried Chicken should know that people in Preston were the first living outside Canada and the US who had the chance to enjoy the famous KFC chicken. Back in 1965, in the month of May, the first KFC restaurant appeared in the city. Today, you can find no less than tree KFC eateries in the central area of Preston.

• It may have the longest line of red phone boxes in the country

 
The red phone box is famous in the UK and the item was featured in numerous movies. Even if no one uses payphones these days anymore, there’s something fascinating about these phone booths. They add a bit of nostalgia to the city’s landscape. Preston has a line of no less than 8 red phone boxes, placed one after the other. It is believed that this is the longest line of the kind in the entire UK. So, if you want to see something special in the UK, you can definitely experience it in Preston. But, hurry, as the city council talks about repurposing these boxes, so no one knows for how long they can be seen in their current location.

• It is home to one of the most representative Brutalist architectural pieces

 
Preston has a bus station like no other. It was built toward the end of the 1960s and represents an act of modern architectural charity. The Twentieth Century Society called this bus station one of the most representative of the Brutalist architectural style. If you want to get familiar with this style, you can easily visit Preston and see this masterpiece, which is available to every passerby. 

https://www.digitec-aerials.co.uk/digital-tv--satellite-news-blog/a-short-history-of-preston

Located on the north of the river Ribble, Preston is Lancashire’s administrative center. This charming city can still show a few pieces of evidence that date back to the days of the Roman Empire. So, the city is older than it may seem. Even before a settlement appeared in the area where Preston lies today, Roman roads passed where the center of the city is today.

It is believed that a Roman camp or station was located southeast of the town’s center, which explains why these ancient roads existed in Preston. One of the roads is believed to be the one leading from Carlisle to Manchester, which used to cross the river and lead to the previously mentioned Roman camping site.
 
Concerning the name of the city, Preston, one theory suggests that it came from the town’s Priest. He made reference to a priory that was founded near the lowest ford of River Ribble, by St. Wilfrid. Similarities between the Paschal Lamb that is featured both St. Wilfrid’s crest and Preston’s crest can be considered as proofs to confirm this theory. The first time Preston was ever mentioned in a book was back in 1086.

​Its name appears in the Domesday Book, but by that time, Preston was already a developed city in the central Lancashire area, known as Amounderness in those days. Between 1218 and 1219, Preston underwent an assessment for tax purposes and the results showed that the city was the wealthiest one in the entire county.

The guild week that is still celebrated in Preston in nowadays dates back to 1179. King Henry II allowed the Burgesses of Preston to hold a so-called “Guild Merchant” and, since then, it is celebrated in Preston every 20 years, the last one being held in 2012, with its start on the 2nd of September. It is worth mentioning that the guild of Preston is the only guild that continues to be celebrated in the United Kingdom.
 
The pre-industrial era caught Preston in the middle of several decisive battles in the history of the UK. Because the city was located between London and Glasgow, at an equal distance of each, the location served as background for a few significant battles, such as the Battle of Preston in 1648, during the English Civil War.

During the 19th century, Preston transformed from a market town to a larger, more developed industrial city. The water frame, for example, was invented in Preston, by Richard Arkwright. According to certain writing, Preston was the first city located outside London that used gas for lighting the streets. Karl Marks even called Preston as being the next St. Petersburg.
 
When Preston reached the year 1901, it was a flourishing industrial city, with more than 120,000 people living there. Between the wars, new industries came to Preston, which improved the situation triggered by the decline of the cotton industry. Engineering and the manufacturing of electrical goods changed the economy of the city.

During World War II, the city recorded no fatalities and only endure several air raids. In 1960, the center of the city received a new face. Old buildings were torn down in order to make room for new and more modern developments, like the St. George’s Shopping Centre, opened in 1966, and, 20 years later, the Fishergate Shopping Centre.

Written by Digitec Aerials of Preston https://www.digitec-aerials.co.uk/preston-tv-aerial-installation.htmlPreston TV Aerial Installation

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