Lancaster
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Lancaster from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Lancaster's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry. Skip this section and go to place by numbers
Oak Cottage
Wray-with-Botton
Oak Cottage is a mid-18th century sandstone house with distinctive architectural details, located in Wray-with-Botton.
Crookhey Hall
Cockerham
Crookhey Hall, built in 1874 by Waterhouse, is a sandstone country house with distinctive features including a four-storey tower and ornate timber interior details.
Carnforth: the coaling plant
Carnforth
Plant for mechanically refuelling the tenders of steam locomotives with coal: part of the modernised Motive Power Depot built for the London Midland Scottish Railway in 1938-44, being the...
Capernwray Hall
Over Kellet
Capernwray Hall features mid to late 19th-century formal gardens, a 1901 Rose Garden by Thomas Mawson, and early 19th-century parkland.
Ashton Memorial Gardens and Williamson Park
Lancaster
Ashton Memorial Gardens and Williamson Park, developed in the 1870s by James Williamson Snr, features the Ashton Memorial and offers panoramic views over Lancaster.
The war memorial, Westfield War Memorial Village
Lancaster
First World War memorial by Jennie Delahunt. Erected 1926.
Carus Lodge
Halton-with-Aughton
Carus Lodge, a picturesque villa built in the late 1830s, features a unique sandstone design with ornate windows and historical architectural elements.
Cockerham Hall
Cockerham
Cockerham Hall is a 17th-century house with medieval timber framing and 19th-century alterations, noted for its architectural features like mullioned windows and Tudor-arched doorways.
Castle Hill motte and bailey, Halton
Halton-with-Aughton
The Castle Hill motte and bailey at Halton is a significant Norman medieval fortification exemplifying the strategic military and feudal roles of such structures in post-conquest Britain.
Glass melting and annealing workshop; part of Shrigley an…
Lancaster
The Shrigley and Hunt workshop's glass melting and annealing furnaces from the late 19th century are historically significant for stained glass production.
Wray House
Wray-with-Botton
Wray House is a two-story early 19th-century stuccoed house with sash windows, a Corinthian porch, and historical elements dated to 1688.
Ashton Hall
Thurnham
Ashton Hall, dating from the 14th century and modified in 1856, now serves as a golf club house, showcasing medieval and Gothic architectural features.
Claughton Hall Farmhouse
Claughton
Claughton Hall Farmhouse, originally part of Claughton Hall and possibly dating from around 1600, features historical architectural elements like chamfered windows and Croft family stone...
Old School House
Tunstall
Built in 1753, the Old School House in Tunstall features sandstone rubble construction and historical significance tied to benefactors Farrer and Fenwick.
Borwick Hall
Borwick
Borwick Hall, a late 16th-century house with 14th-century elements, features historical architecture, including mullioned windows and a stone closed well stair.
61 and 63, Main Street
Warton
61 and 63, Main Street, built in 1752, is a Grade II listed pair of limestone cottages with distinctive architectural features, including chamfered windows and a shared history.
Stone circle on Summerhouse Hill
The Yealands
Stone circles in England, dating from 2400-1000 BC, had ritual importance and possibly marked time. The one on Summerhouse Hill remains a rare example in Lancashire.
Queen's Hotel
Morecambe
The Queen's Hotel, built in the mid-19th century, features a symmetrical design with three storeys, hipped roof, and intricate window surrounds.
Leighton Hall
The Yealands
Leighton Hall is a Gothic-style country house from 1765 with architectural contributions from J. Hird and later renovations by Paley and Austin.
Church of St John the Baptist
Tunstall
The Church of St. John the Baptist in Tunstall is a Grade I listed building, noted for its historical association with the Brontë sisters and featuring 16th-century stained glass.
The Winter Gardens
Morecambe
The Winter Gardens, built in 1896 by Mangnall and Littlewood, features ornate terracotta interiors with marble steps and decorative plasterwork ceilings.
Prehistoric, Romano-British, medieval and early post-medi…
Burrow-with-Burrow
High Park, east of Bindloss Farm, contains settlements and field systems from prehistoric to post-medieval periods, highlighting long-term land management and settlement diversity through...
Lindeth Tower
Silverdale
Lindeth Tower is a three-story summerhouse built in 1842 by H.P. Fleetwood. It features limestone rubble construction, sashed windows, and battlemented parapet. Mrs. Gaskell wrote here.
Clock House and Flanking Walls
Halton-with-Aughton
The Clock House, originally a coach house for Halton Hall from the late 18th century, features sandstone construction with 20th-century casement windows and a removed stone bay window.
Peterhill House
The Yealands
Peterhill House, located on Yealand Road, is an early 19th-century house with distinctive architectural features like sash windows and stone surround detailing, classified as Grade II listed.
8, The Nook
Bolton-le-Sands
8, The Nook is a historic house dated 1701, featuring sandstone dressings, sash windows, and a distinctive hardwood door. It retains several original architectural elements.
Packet Boat Hotel
Bolton-le-Sands
The Packet Boat Hotel, a public house from the early 19th century, features rendered rubble and slate roofing.
Farm Cottage Post House
Over Wyresdale
Farm Cottage Post House is a sandstone rubble pair of houses built in 1892 with 17th-century elements, including rebated windows and moulded door surrounds.
336, Marine Road Central
Morecambe
336 Marine Road Central is a 19th-century sandstone ashlar house with distinctive porch features and lead architectural details, originally forming part of a continuous sequence of similarly...
Castle Hill prehistoric defended enclosure
Leck
Castle Hill is a mid-prehistoric defended settlement in England's northern uplands with significant archaeological value, featuring earthworks and hut circles, overlooking the River Lune.
Carnforth Station Junction Signal Box
Carnforth
The Carnforth Station Junction Signal Box, built in 1903, is a notable Furness Railway structure with a hipped slate roof, part of a unique railway buildings group.
High cross in St Wilfrid's churchyard, Halton
Halton-with-Aughton
The high cross in St Wilfrid's churchyard, Halton, showcases 11th-century art and symbolizes ecclesiastical importance, preserving religious and artistic traditions despite partial...
Carnforth: the former Selside signal box
Carnforth
Standard, but very small, Midland Railway signal box, built 1907 at Selside on the Settle to Carlisle line and moved to Carnforth in 1976 as a museum exhibit.
Plane Tree House
Carnforth
Plane Tree House is a Grade II listed building, featuring 18th-century architectural elements like rebated and chamfered mullioned windows and a central gabled porch.
Church of St. Helen
Overton
The Church of St. Helen, from the 12th century, features Norman architecture and was significantly altered in 1771 and 1830, with a restoration in 1902.
The Bower
The Yealands
The Bower is a late 18th-century house with early 19th-century extensions, featuring stonework details, modern casements, and a distinctive stairway with elegant balusters.
The Old Rectory
Cockerham
The Old Rectory, designed by Edmund Sharpe in 1843, is a former vicarage converted into flats, featuring sandstone with steep slate roofs and Tudor-arched doorways.
Explore more
Search for more listed places in LancasterLancaster through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Lancaster changes over time. Skip this section and go to aerial photos
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Lancaster
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground. Skip this section and go to archive images
Lancaster
The Ashton Memorial, Williamson Park, Lancaster, 1920
Lancaster
The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, Lancaster, 1949
Lancaster
Lancaster Castle and environs, Lancaster, 1920
Lancaster
Lancaster Castle and St Mary's Church, Lancaster, 1951
Morecambe
The Central Pier and town centre, Morecambe, 1920
Morecambe
The Midland Hotel, Swimming Stadium and Central Pier, Morecambe, 1949
Heysham
Heysham Head Pleasure Resort and environs, Heysham, 1932
Heysham
Heysham Head Pleasure Resort, Heysham, 1932
Lancaster
The Town Hall, Great John Street and the city centre, Lancaster, 1933
Lancaster in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Lancaster's past. Skip this section and go to stories about heritage
Eric de Mare
Galgate, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1956
Exterior view of Galgate Silk Mill showing outbuildings and farm machinery in the foreground.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Heysham, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 06 May 1896
A view showing Heysham Tower from the north-west
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1903 - 1908
GENERAL VIEW
Walter Scott
Heysham, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1920 - 1950
"Mrs Curwen's Sea View Cottage Tea Gardens"
Eric de Mare
Galgate, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1956
General view of Galgate Silk Mill from the street. It is the oldest surviving silk spinning mill in England, built in 1792.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Heysham, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 06 May 1896
Looking south across the west front of Heysham Tower
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1895 - 1910
GENERAL VIEW SHOWING BRIDGE OVER LAKE
Walter Scott
Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1920 - 1940
Looking across the promenade from Alhambra, Morecambe
Eric de Mare
Caton, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1956
Exterior view of White Cross Mill in Caton from the waterside.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Lower Heysham, Heysham, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 06 May 1896
The exterior of St Peter's Church viewed from the south-west
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1900 - 1920
GENERAL VIEW BESIDE THE LAKE
Walter Scott
West End, Lancaster, Lancashire
Date created: 1925 - 1930
A view from the south of the West End seafront in Morecambe
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Lancaster. Skip this section and go to education
Transforming a Historic Market Town
Mentions Lancaster
The impact of the railways at Bishop Auckland.
Historic England-Funded Roof Repairs Completed at Lancaster's St John's Church
Mentions Church of St John, Lancaster
Roof repairs at St John’s, Lancaster, completed with Historic England funding, providing heritage skills training, supporting future community use.
Sixteenth Century Stockport Pub Gains Grade II Listed Status
Mentions Lancaster
The Angel Inn in Stockport has been added to the National Heritage List for England at Grade II.
New Roof and Repairs for Medieval Upminster Tithe Barn
Mentions Lancaster
A 12 month project is underway to save the 15th century Upminster Tithe Barn in partnership with National Highways and the London Borough of Havering.
The Landladies of Morecambe
Mentions The Winter Gardens, Midland Hotel
Famed for their no-nonsense reputation, gruff manner and strict rules and regulations, Morecambe’s landladies have seen it all.
The Bennets, the Bridgertons, and Now You: Assembly Rooms Past and Present
Mentions Assembly
Regency romance has returned to our screens with the likes of Bridgerton and a flurry of Austen adaptions.
Heritage at Risk: In Progress
Mentions The Winter Gardens
Founded in 1998, the Heritage at Risk register is the annual snapshot of the health of England’s historic places.
Modernism at the Seaside
Mentions Midland Hotel
The seaside was the setting for some of Britain’s first and finest ventures into Modernism.
Transforming a Historic Market Town
Mentions Lancaster
The impact of the railways at Bishop Auckland.
Historic England-Funded Roof Repairs Completed at Lancaster's St John's Church
Mentions Church of St John, Lancaster
Roof repairs at St John’s, Lancaster, completed with Historic England funding, providing heritage skills training, supporting future community use.
Sixteenth Century Stockport Pub Gains Grade II Listed Status
Mentions Lancaster
The Angel Inn in Stockport has been added to the National Heritage List for England at Grade II.
New Roof and Repairs for Medieval Upminster Tithe Barn
Mentions Lancaster
A 12 month project is underway to save the 15th century Upminster Tithe Barn in partnership with National Highways and the London Borough of Havering.
Investigating the Built Environment in Lancashire’s Historic Textile Areas
Mentions Lancaster
Exploring the local infrastructure that underpinned the industrial revolution.
Using Drones For Field Survey
Mentions Lancaster
Small unmanned aircraft, often known as drones, can now be used to create digital field surveys. Assessment of the results suggests a technique with c
Heritage at Risk in the North West Revealed
Mentions Capernwray Hall
3 sites have been saved and 6 sites added to the Heritage at Risk Register 2023 in the North West of England.
Enriching the List, Enriching Lives
Mentions Lancaster
Research into how Historic England's Enriching the List initiative can help the personal wellbeing of contributors.
Historic England Awards £252,000 to Repair the UK’s Oldest Surviving Railway Goods Shed
Mentions Lancaster
Historic England’s grant will help to transform the building into the main entrance to the Darlington Railway Heritage Quarter.
Historic England Announces New Listings to Celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Mentions Lancaster
Listings of places which reflect the important social, technical and cultural changes which have taken place over the 70 years of Her Majesty's reign.
High Streets Heritage Action Zones’ Cultural Programme Awards £6 Million Grants
Mentions Lancaster
Over 60 High Streets Heritage Action Zones will receive grants totalling £6 million going to local arts organisations for community-led activities.
High Streets Heritage Action Zones’ Cultural Programme Launches with 'High Street Tales'
Mentions Lancaster
Today Historic England launches a podcast and ebook called 'High Street Tales'. These are the first events of a four-year-long cultural programme.
Lancaster's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area. Skip this section and go to grant-aided places
Woolworths, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Period: 1920s (1920 - 1929)
Certain types of building are highly characteristic.
Woolworths, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The Winter Gardens began in 1878 as the People's Palace and included baths, entertainment and an aquarium. The building later became a ballroom.
Winter Gardens, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Wery Wall, Bridge Lane, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: Roman (43 - 409)
These are fragments of stone from the wall of a 4th century Roman fort. It apparently housed a cavalry (horse) unit.
Wery Wall, Bridge Lane, Lancaster, Lancashire
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
Women were often employed to perform specific tasks.
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
Waring and Gillow were makers of fine furniture, but during the First World War their factories in London and Lancaster and its employees was given...
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
The First World War caused a shortage of male workers. Women started to become a more common sight in British factories.
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
Richard Gillow was a cabinetmaker in Lancaster in the 18th century. In 1897 the company he started merged with that of the furniture makers Waring.
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
A view across the rooftops at the Waring and Gillow's Lancaster factory.
Waring and Gillow, Lancaster, Lancashire
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary. Skip this section and go to related locations
Morecambe Winter Gardens, Marine Road West, Morecambe
This Grade II*-listed grand variety theatre and concert hall was built in 1896 by Mangnall and Littlewood.
Discover more
Ready for more local stories? Take a look at these other places nearby