An Introduction to Lancashire

Lancashire (shortened as Lancs) is in the North of England, on the Irish Sea. The North/West section of the county is part of the Lake District; in the West and South are lowlands (the Lancashire plain) and occasional moors.

In the west of the county the coastline is low and broken by estuaries, with Morecambe Bay separating Furness from the rest of the county. Lancashire's principal cities are Lancaster (county town) and Preston and on the coast – Blackpool – the entertainment capital of England!

Lancashire's economic growth began in medieval times with the introduction of the woollen industry and was accelerated by the Industrial Revolution.

For the visitor today, Lancashire offers incredible diversity from the tranquil beauty of the Lakes to the vibrant  Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which has the largest roller coaster in Europe; the ‘Big One’ drops you down with a view out over the beautiful coast for the ride of your life. This amusement park has been around since 1896, when Alderman William George Bean bought the 42 acre site on which the Pleasure Beach now stands. Various rides, including the still popular Sir Hiram Maxim Flying Machines, were introduced to the area. Today it is one of Britain’s biggest, most visited tourist attractions.