Where tourists seldom tread, part 21: two northern powerhouses on the rise once more

My recent explorations of Lancashire’s often-overlooked corners have revealed a landscape in flux—a vibrant tapestry of regeneration, ambitious redevelopment, inevitable demolition, and poignant disappearances. Preston, my closest city, exemplifies this dynamic evolution. It’s currently undergoing a significant transformation, marked by a £45 million leisure complex, a meticulously revamped museum, and a new bridge gracefully spanning the River Ribble, with further ambitious plans on the horizon. St Helens, my childhood town, proudly maintains its historic Lancashire roots despite being administratively part of Merseyside and now the Liverpool City Region – a point of contention for many locals. While it might currently resemble a "drawing board" with ongoing construction, both cities are undeniably changing for the better, their progress evident beneath the often-frayed fabric of their urban landscapes. This journey into Lancashire’s heart reveals not just physical transformations, but also a rediscovery of identity and potential.

Preston: A City Reimagined

My initial encounter with Preston’s eastern edges left me somewhat disheartened. The vista of low-slung, "Americanised" retail parks, vast, yawning car parks, and the impersonal sweep of ring roads felt oddly generic, momentarily obscuring the city’s true character. However, Preston began to reveal its unique charm and historical depth the moment I stood beneath the extraordinary, needle-like spire of St Walburge’s church. This architectural marvel, designed by the renowned Joseph Hansom (inventor of the Hansom cab), stands as the tallest parish church in the UK, a soaring testament to the enduring and historically strong Roman Catholic presence in "Priest’s Town." Gazing upwards at its intricate Gothic Revival details is not merely an aesthetic experience; it offers a primitive form of cognitive therapy, inspiring a sense of awe and hope.

Further immersion led me to the imposing Harris Museum and Art Gallery, a genuine regional treasure that triumphantly reopened last September after a comprehensive £19 million refurbishment. This iconic institution has swiftly re-established itself as a vibrant hub for art, local history, textiles, fashion, ceramics, and literature, offering a perfect refuge regardless of the weather – be it a rainy day or a sweltering heatwave. The Harris, a Grade I listed building, houses an impressive collection, though one notable absence is the complete Cuerdale Hoard. This vast Viking treasure, the largest ever found in England, was unearthed beside the River Ribble, yet significant portions remain controversed in the British Museum and Ashmolean. A campaign for its full return to its discovery site would be a powerful statement of local cultural reclamation.

My time serving jury duty at the crown court provided an unexpected opportunity to turn daily commutes from the park-and-ride into impromptu sightseeing tours. These walks illuminated Preston’s diverse architectural and historical fabric. Highlights included the strikingly brutalist Preston Bus Station and Guild Hall, bold concrete structures built for an unrealised "new town" vision of Central Lancashire. The bus station, a masterpiece of 1960s architecture by Ove Arup, was controversially saved from demolition and beautifully renovated, a testament to its enduring design. I also encountered the poignant monument to the 1842 martyrs, textile workers gunned down by infantry and police during the General Strike – a stark reminder of Preston’s pivotal role in the industrial revolution and workers’ rights movements. Other notable sites included the ornate Victorian Market Hall and Court, the elegant Miller Arcade, and the verdant Winckley Square, lined with its magnificent Georgian terraces, reflecting the city’s affluent past. The city’s spiritual landscape is equally rich, encompassing St Wilfrid’s, St John’s Minster, and the distinctive Saint Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Cathedral, showcasing Preston’s diverse faith communities.

Preston, officially designated a city in 2002, has historically been a nexus of power and influence. It marks the geographical and chronological starting point of the cotton-town trail through East Lancashire. It was here, in 1732, that Richard Arkwright, the "father of the factory system" and co-creator of the water-powered spinning frame, was born. His innovations fundamentally reshaped industrial production and society. The colossal Centenary Mill, built for the empire-spanning textile firm Horrockses, Crewdson & Co, still stands, its magnificent chimney a towering symbol of industrial might, once a shameless challenge to the churches’ spires. Today, an annexe off its yard houses a magical emporium of antiques, fixtures, and fittings, salvaged from mouldering mansions, offering a tangible link to the city’s opulent past.

Industrial growth, in various forms, often spurred other innovations. The temperance and teetotalism movements, spearheaded by figures like Joseph Livesey from nearby Walton-le-Dale, a clothier’s son, emerged partly as a reaction to the perceived "urban immorality" and social ills exacerbated by rapid industrialisation. On a lighter note, professional football offered a much-needed leisure pursuit for the working classes. Preston North End, a founder member of the English Football League, boasts Deepdale, one of England’s oldest continually used grounds since 1875. The city also holds a significant place in the history of women’s football, being home to the pioneering Dick, Kerr Ladies team, founded in 1917, whose legacy continues to inspire.

While respecting the historical importance of the temperance movement, one cannot overlook Preston’s thriving pub culture. The Black Horse stands out as, to me, Preston’s most beautiful old pub, with its exquisitely etched windows, intimate snug-like seating, gorgeous tiling, and a rare ceramic bar—a true gem of Victorian public house architecture. This rich heritage is now complemented by a burgeoning modern food scene, featuring the cool Korean restaurant Kimji, the authentic Spanish tapas at Pintxos, and sophisticated modern British cuisine at Aven, reflecting Preston’s growing culinary diversity.

The 1974 local government overhaul, which redrew county lines, inadvertently positioned Preston as a future "capital" of sorts within Lancashire. It is now increasingly living up to this billing. A little bird (or rather, an old pigeon outside the Harris, as the saying goes) whispers that "Manchesterism," the big central idea of local authorities exerting control and investing in their communities, is somewhat misnamed. Many argue that the true genesis of this model lies in Preston, specifically the "Preston Model" of community wealth building. This innovative approach prioritises local procurement, supports worker cooperatives, and fosters local ownership, leading to demonstrable economic benefits, with local living standards rising significantly faster than the UK average in recent years. Even former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has publicly acknowledged Preston’s pioneering role, suggesting that "Prestonism" may yet change Britain and the world, all over again, offering a blueprint for sustainable local economic development.

For visitors, Preston offers a wealth of activities. The 21-mile Guild Wheel, a circular walking and cycling route, provides scenic exploration of the city’s green spaces and riverside paths. The historic Tram Bridge, a former railway viaduct, offers picturesque views over the River Ribble. The serene Preston England Temple, an architectural marvel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomes visitors to its beautiful grounds. The intriguing "Devil’s House" on St Wilfrid Street adds a touch of local folklore, while the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the region’s industrial past and railway heritage.

St Helens: Forging a New Identity

Until recently, I had never stepped inside St Helens Minster, despite being born nearby. In my defence, it was only in May of this year that it was elevated from a parish church to a Minster, a name change reflecting its enhanced role as the mother-church of the entire community and a symbol of civic pride. The town’s origins trace back to four ancient rural manors—Windle, Parr, Sutton, and Eccleston—clustered around a chapel of ease, offering solace to wayfarers. These old names still echo in the charmingly named villages within its bounds: Clinkham Wood, Thatto Heath, Nutgrove. St Helens was once a landscape of fields, then transformed into a bustling centre of shops, coal pits, and glassworks. Now, it stands poised to become something new entirely.

Two major projects are currently unfolding, shaping this future. One, though appearing small on a map, holds immense symbolic weight: the ongoing conservation work at No 7 Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop. Built in 1886, it was part of a complex of nine such "shops" or factories, collectively forming the largest glass bottle production site in the world. This beautiful redbrick circular building, with its distinctive conical roof, is the sole survivor, a poignant landmark nestled beside a large Tesco supermarket and the Saints’ flashy rugby league arena. Here, tons of molten glass were once heated, and skilled glassblowers expertly scooped up glowing gobs to inflate, shape, and mould into bottles. Today, this historic site has been adaptively reused, hosting artisan craft markets with vibrant food and drink stalls on the first Saturday of every month. The project’s director, John Tabern, an ex-glassman, passionately states, "It’s extremely important to me. I’m proud of St Helens and want people to know its story. But we must monetise it with gigs and markets and all those things," encapsulating the spirit of preserving heritage through contemporary engagement. Having narrowly escaped demolition after serving as an air-raid shelter and storage depot, its survival is a fortunate accident of history.

The second, larger undertaking involves a significant demolition and redevelopment programme across a vast area east and south of the town hall. This ambitious plan envisions a new bus station, modern homes, office spaces, a hotel, expansive green spaces, lively piazzas, and "revitalised retail spaces," aiming to create a more attractive and functional town centre.

St Helens has a history of tearing down and rebuilding, yet many of its finest examples of redbrick Victoriana stand firm. The Gamble Building, a grand structure, is soon to house a smart new library, a dedicated youth space, and offices, demonstrating a commitment to public services within historic architecture. The elegant Town Hall is another solid example. The striking Beecham’s Building, erected in 1887 at considerable expense, is topped by a coquettish clock tower. Its founder, Thomas Beecham, began his empire selling laxatives to the working populace of Wigan, and St Helens, acting as a crucible of industry and entrepreneurship, allowed his business to flourish. The modern St Helens College, facing this former headquarters, represents a successful marriage of old and new architectural styles.

Further architectural treasures abound. Reflection Court, the former Pilkington’s headquarters on Canal Street, boasts a streamlined brick facade influenced by the Dutch modernist Willem Marinus Dudok. Even more significant are the former Pilkington’s complexes at Alexandra Park on the town’s periphery, designed by the pioneering modernist architects Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry, who collaborated with titans like Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. Many of these historically significant structures are now earmarked for apartment conversions, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing preservation with contemporary urban needs.

My departure from St Helens often includes a stop at The Book Stop, a beloved community bookstore in which I proudly hold "shares." It was here, earlier this year, that I gave a talk on my recent Lancashire book, a session tellingly titled by the manager, "Don’t Call Us Merseyside." This sentiment, along with the equally unpopular "Liverpool City Region" designation, strongly underscores the deeply rooted and fiercely protected identity of St Helens as a Lancashire town.

I pass St Mary’s Lowe House Catholic church, a structure that loomed large and ominous in my childhood imagination. Renowned architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner was famously unimpressed, yet its competing Byzantine dome and Gothic tower, a testament to an architect’s indecision, possess a unique, compelling character. The church’s black brickwork, a poignant patina of two centuries of factory fumes, silently tells the story of St Helens’ industrial past. Further along, the Turks Head pub, routinely lauded by CAMRA for its excellent ales and traditional atmosphere, offers a glimpse into local social life, while the grounds of FC St Helens recall the early days of rugby league in the 1880s.

Finally, my journey through St Helens concludes at its cemetery and crematorium, a place of quiet reflection where I have spent too much time in recent decades. If St Helens was built on furnaces, this one remains perpetually busy. Beyond the neat rows of modern gravestones, I follow a path that, from above, forms a heart shape, leading to the wooded corner where St Helens’ most ancient structure stands: Windleshaw Chantry, dating from 1415, a relic from a time when this was open countryside. Beneath it lies a large tomb, its flat tablet bearing abbreviated words. Spelled out, they reveal the remarkable story of "Jean Baptiste François Graux de la Bruyere – He was the first Who brought to Perfection A Work of very considerable Magnitude And Importance To the Commercial Interest of the British Nation." This immigrant from Picardy, who died in 1787 at the age of 48, is widely believed to be the unsung hero who perfected the art of glass-making in St Helens, laying the foundation for an industry that defined the town for centuries. I am sure he would be pleased that the town is at last celebrating his profound and lasting legacy.

St Helens also invites exploration of its industrial heritage at the World of Glass museum, the vibrant community hub of The Book Stop, and the fascinating North West Museum of Road Transport. For a unique outdoor art experience, visitors can seek out the "Dream" sculpture, a monumental white head carved into a former colliery spoil heap, offering breathtaking views. And for a taste of local flavour, Café Laziz offers a warm welcome and delicious refreshments. These bypassed towns, far from being stagnant, are vibrant, evolving entities, each offering a rich narrative of industrial innovation, social change, and resilient community spirit, proving that the most profound journeys can indeed begin right at home.