58-538: The Royal Albert Hospital was a hospital in Lancaster, Lancashire , England. It opened in 1870 as an institution for the care and education of children with learning problems. By 1909 there were 662 children in residence. Following new legislation in 1913, adults were also admitted. By the time of the introduction of the National Health Service in 1948 the hospital had 886 patients, and by
116-479: A council with Labour as the largest party but not in overall control, with 24 of the 61 seats. After the 2021 Lancashire County Council election , Lancaster East, Lancaster South East and Skerton were represented on the county council by Labour , while Lancaster Central was represented by the Green Party . Lancaster is Lancashire's northernmost city, three miles (4.8 km) inland from Morecambe Bay . It
174-455: A high-tech sector has emerged from information technology and telecommunications companies investing in the city. In March 2004, Lancaster was granted Fairtrade City status. Lancaster was home to the European headquarters of Reebok . After merging with Adidas , Reebok moved to Bolton and Stockport in 2007. In May 2015, Elizabeth II visited the castle for commemorations for
232-490: A local service to Morecambe . The city council aims to open a railway station serving the university and south Lancaster, although this is not feasible in the short or medium term with current levels of demand. The Caton–Morecambe section of the former North Western railway is now used as a cycle path. The Port of Lancaster gained importance in the 18th century. In 1750 the Lancaster Port Commission
290-674: A range of historic buildings and venues, having retained many fine examples of Georgian architecture . Lancaster Castle , the Priory Church of St Mary and the Edwardian Ashton Memorial are among the sites of historical importance. Its many museums include Lancaster City Museum , Maritime Museum , the Cottage Museum and the Judges' Lodgings Museum . Lancaster Friends Meeting House , dating from 1708,
348-475: Is Gothic Revival . Hartwell and Pevsner in the Buildings of England series describe its appearance as that of a hôtel de ville (French town hall). The main front of the building is symmetrical, in two storeys with attics and a basement. The roofs are hipped , and incorporate dormer windows. The front consists of a central block of six bays , with eleven-bay wings on each side. In the centre of each wing
406-648: Is a city in Lancashire , England, and the main cultural hub, economic and commercial centre of City of Lancaster district. The city is on the River Lune , directly inland from Morecambe Bay . Lancaster is the county town , although Lancashire County Council has been based at County Hall in Preston since its formation in 1889. The city's long history is marked by Lancaster Roman Fort , Lancaster Castle , Lancaster Priory Church , Lancaster Cathedral and
464-473: Is a three-bay canted projection, and at both ends is a wider three-bay pavilion under a separate roof. In the wings, most of the windows in the ground floor are pairs of lancets under an arched hoodmould , and most of the windows in the upper storey have two lights under a flat lintel . The windows in the projections and pavilions are more ornate, most of them consisting of a triple lancet under an oculus . The dormers contain cross casement windows , and on
522-508: Is also applied to the annual Roses Tournament between Lancaster and York universities. Lancaster gained a first charter in 1193 as a market town and borough , but had to await city status until 1937. Many of the city's central buildings, including those lining St George's Quay date from the 18th century, as the Port of Lancaster became one of the UK's busiest and the Lancaster slave trade
580-564: Is also home to Lancaster's Litfest, which runs an annual literature festival. In the summer months Williamson Park hosts outdoor performances, including a Dukes "Play in the Park", which over the past 26 years has attracted 460,000 people, as the UK's biggest outdoor walkabout theatre event. Cant (architecture) Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
638-552: Is an unparished area and has no separate council. It is divided into wards (for elections to Lancaster City Council), such as Bulk, Castle, Ellel, John O'Gaunt (named after John of Gaunt , the 1st Duke of Lancaster ), Scotforth East, Scotforth West, Skerton East, Skerton West and University and Scotforth Rural. For elections to Lancashire County Council , Lancaster is split into the electoral divisions of Lancaster Central (the city centre and an area extending south including Cockerham and Glasson Dock ), Lancaster East (south of
SECTION 10
#1732790697700696-627: Is another historic cultural venue, under its many names. It has played a major part in social and cultural life since it was built in 1782. Lancaster is known nationally for its Arts scene. There are around 600 business and organisations in the region involved directly or indirectly in arts and culture. In 2009, several major arts bodies based in the district formed a consortium called Lancaster Arts Partners (LAP) to champion strategic development of arts activities in Lancaster District. Notable partners include Ludus Dance, More Music and
754-474: Is in Gothic Revival style. The main part of the lodge is in two storeys, and contains a wide arch for the carriageway, and a smaller narrower arch for pedestrians. In the upper storey are three trefoiled single-light windows. The roof is hipped and carries lead finials. To the right of this is a chimney with bands of red sandstone. On the right of the building is a short lower wing with a coped gable. On
812-566: Is listed at Grade II. The hospital was built between 1868 and 1873, and designed by the local architect E. G. Paley . Its original name was "Royal Albert Asylum for idiots and imbeciles of the seven northern counties". An additional building, the Winmarleigh Recreation Hall was built at the rear of the hospital and designed by Paley, Austin and Paley (E. G. Paley in partnership with his son, Henry , and with Hubert Austin ). In 1898–1901, following
870-594: Is on the River Lune (from which comes its name), and the Lancaster Canal . It becomes hillier from the Lune Valley eastwards, with Williamson Hill in the north-west a notable height at 109 m (358 ft) and recognised as a TuMP : a hill with "thirty and upwards metres prominence ". The central area of the city can be roughly defined by the railway to the west, the canal to the south and east, and
928-498: Is the longest continual Quaker meeting site in the world, with an original building built in 1677. George Fox , founder of Quakerism , was near the site several times in the 1660s and spent two years imprisoned in Lancaster Castle. The meeting house holds regular Quaker meetings and a wide range of cultural activities including adult learning, meditation, art classes, music and political meetings. Lancaster Grand Theatre
986-623: The Jamea Al Kauthar Islamic College, an academic establishment aiming to educate girls over the age of eleven in a safe, secure, happy and Islamic environment". Originating with 60 girls, as of 2011 it has about 400 residential students on its roll. The students attend Islamic theology courses in the morning in the college, and in the afternoons travel to Preston Sixth Form College to study other subjects. Lancaster, Lancashire Lancaster ( / ˈ l æ ŋ k ə s t ər / , / ˈ l æ n k æ s -/ )
1044-662: The Ashton Memorial . It is the seat of Lancaster University and has a campus of the University of Cumbria . It had a population of 52,234 in the 2011 census, compared to the district, which had a population of 138,375. The House of Lancaster was a branch of the English royal family . The Duchy of Lancaster still holds large estates on behalf of Charles III , who is the Duke of Lancaster . The Port of Lancaster and
1102-716: The House of Lancaster is the Red Rose of Lancaster , similar to that of the House of York with a white rose. The names derive from emblems of the Royal Duchies of Lancaster and York in the 15th century. This erupted into a civil war over rival claims to the throne during the Wars of the Roses . More recently the term "Wars of the Roses" has been applied to rivalry in sports between teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire . It
1160-580: The 18th-century Lancaster slave trade played a major role in the city's growth, but for many years the outport of Glasson Dock , downstream, has been the main shipping facility. Lancaster was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, as Loncastre , where "Lon" refers to the River Lune and "castre" from the Old English cæster and Latin castrum for "fort" to the Roman fort that stood on
1218-494: The 1960s there were over 1,000 patients. Following legislation in the 1980s, the patients were relocated in the community, and the hospital closed in 1996. The building was acquired by Jamea Al Kauthar Islamic College to provide Islamic education for girls. The main part of the hospital is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building , and its west lodge
SECTION 20
#17327906977001276-609: The 1980s, Care in the Community legislation led to the relocation of patients into the community, so that by 1990 only about 500 patients were still resident. Further relocation of patients led to the closure of the hospital in 1996. The building was acquired by Jamea Al Kauthar Islamic College for use as an educational establishment for Muslim girls. The main building is constructed in sandstone with ashlar dressings and bands of red sandstone from St Bees . The roofs are in green slate from Coniston . Its architectural style
1334-587: The 750th anniversary of the creation of the Duchy of Lancaster . The former City and Municipal Borough of Lancaster and the Municipal Borough of Morecambe and Heysham , along with other authorities, merged in 1974 to form the City of Lancaster district within the shire county of Lancashire. This was given city status and Lancaster City Council became the governing body for the district. Lancaster
1392-529: The 89 to Knott End-on-Sea . Lancaster is served by the West Coast Main Line from Lancaster railway station . The station was formerly named Lancaster Castle, to differentiate it from Lancaster Green Ayre on the Leeds–Morecambe line , which closed in 1966. There are train services to and from London , Glasgow , Edinburgh , Birmingham , Manchester , Leeds and Barrow-in-Furness , and
1450-585: The Dukes. LAP curates and promotes "Lancaster First Fridays", a monthly multi-disciplinary mini-festival under its brand "Lancaster Arts City". Lancaster University has a public arts organisation, part of LAP, known as Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University . Its programmes include Lancaster's Nuffield Theatre , one of the largest professional studio theatres in Europe, the Peter Scott Gallery , with
1508-681: The Falklands; it is grade II listed. There are more than 330 listed buildings in Lancaster (excluding those in nearby civil parishes such as the Lune Aqueduct in Halton-with-Aughton parish). They include four at grade I and 22 at grade II*, the others being at grade II. Those at grade I, the highest level, are the Ashton Memorial , the Judges' Lodgings , Lancaster Castle and Lancaster Priory . Lancaster has
1566-632: The Gateway Tower and a turret on the keep or Lungess Tower, which has been named "John o' Gaunt's Chair". In 1322 the Scots burnt the town. It was rebuilt but removed from its position on the hill to the slope and foot. Again in 1389, after the Battle of Otterburn , it was destroyed by the Scots. Lancaster Castle is known as the site of the Pendle witch trials in 1612. It was said that the court based in
1624-464: The Lancaster District and services to more distant places such as Kendal , Keswick , Kirkby Lonsdale , Preston and Blackpool . There are buses to Lancaster University , the No. 1 and No. 1A services run every 10–15 minutes using double-deckers, with less frequent services 4, 41 and 42. Other routes are covered by Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire, including the 582 to Kirkby Lonsdale , Settle and Skipton and
1682-563: The Lune). The road leads south to Preston , Chorley and Manchester and north to Carnforth , Kendal , Penrith and Carlisle . The M6 motorway passes to the east of Lancaster with junctions 33 and 34 to the south and north. The Bay Gateway , a dual carriageway opened in 2016, links Heysham to the M6. Lancaster's main bus operator, Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire , operates network of services from Lancaster bus station throughout
1740-522: The Lune. A permanent military presence was built up with the completion of Bowerham Barracks in 1880. The Phoenix Street drill hall was completed in 1894. Since the Industrial Revolution , the city was home to many industries from the 18th century to the 20th century. The main industries in the city at the time were candle making, sailcloth making, rope making and shipbuilding. Since
1798-542: The Northern Counties". By 1909 there were 662 patients in residence, 85 per cent of whom were aged under 15. During the following year the hospital was renamed again, this time to "The Royal Albert Institution, Lancaster". Following the Mental Deficiency Act 1913, the nature of the hospital changed, as it was determined that no more than 10 per cent of its patients should be under
Royal Albert Hospital - Misplaced Pages Continue
1856-680: The River Lune and east of the Lancaster Canal ), Lancaster South East (bordered by the River Conder with the University at its southern point) and Skerton (north of the River Lune). The city lies in the Lancaster and Wyre constituency for elections of Members of Parliament to the House of Commons , represented since 2015 by Cat Smith of the Labour Party (as Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency before 2024). While
1914-721: The United Kingdom was in the European Union , Lancaster was in the North West England European Parliamentary Constituency. In the late 1990s and early first decade of the 21st century, the city council was under the control of the Morecambe Bay Independents (MBIs), who campaigned for an independent Morecambe council. In 2003, their influence waned and Labour became the largest party on
1972-449: The age of 16. In 1948 the hospital became part of the National Health Service , and its name was changed to "Royal Albert Hospital". By this time it had 886 patients, of whom 45 per cent were aged over 35, and only 12 per cent were under 15. In 1958 two new blocks were built, each containing 54 beds, to accommodate the increasing number of patients. By the middle of the 1960s the hospital contained over 1,000 patients. From
2030-617: The ages of 6 and 15. It was a voluntary hospital, whose financial provision came entirely from public subscription. The foundation stone was laid in 1868. The first patients entered the hospital in December 1870, and in August 1871 the first girls were admitted. By 1874 it had 196 patients. In 1884 the hospital was renamed as the "Royal Albert Asylum for the Care, Education and Training of Idiots, Imbeciles and Weak-Minded children and Young Persons of
2088-503: The area into Carnforth and helping to prevent further urban expansion towards nearby Morecambe, Hest Bank, Slyne and Bolton-le-Sands. The A6 road , one of the main historic north–south roads in England, passes through the city centre, with northbound and southbound traffic on separate streets, and crosses the Lune at Greyhound Bridge northbound and Skerton Bridge southbound (these are the two furthest-downstream road crossing points of
2146-671: The castle (the Lancaster Assizes ) sentenced more people to be hanged than any other in the country outside London , earning Lancaster the nickname, "the Hanging Town" . It also figured prominently in the suppression of Catholicism during the Reformation – at least eleven Catholic priests were executed and a memorial to them as the Lancaster Martyrs stands by the city centre. The traditional emblem of
2204-824: The council. They formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats and Greens. At the May 2007 local elections, Labour lost ground to the Greens in Lancaster and the MBIs in Morecambe, resulting in no overall control , with all parties represented in a PR administration. The 2011 elections saw Labour emerge as the largest party. They reached a joint administrative arrangement with the Greens. The 2019 Lancaster City Council election results put no party in overall control. The council
2262-546: The death of E. G. Paley, the practice (now Austin and Paley ) designed a new south wing, named the Ashton wing. The hospital was established under the Lunacy Act 1845 , at a time when there was little understanding of the difference between learning disability and mental illness, to provide care and education for children with learning disabilities. It took patients from the seven northern counties of England between
2320-437: The decline of the industrial revolution, Lancaster suffered from economic decline and high unemployment rates like many parts of the north of England. The city underwent regeneration and is now a tourist destination. Lancaster is mainly a service-oriented city. Products include animal feed , textiles , chemicals , livestock , paper , synthetic fibre , farm machinery , HGV trailers and mineral fibres . In recent years,
2378-442: The earliest known mention of Lancaster as such in any document. The founding Priory charter dated 1094 is the first known document specific to Lancaster. By this time William had passed Lancaster and its surroundings to Roger de Poitou . The document also suggests the monastery was refounded as a parish church some time before 1066. Lancaster became a borough in 1193 under King Richard I . Its first charter , dated 12 June 1193,
Royal Albert Hospital - Misplaced Pages Continue
2436-414: The four corners of the tower are turrets , and the roof of the tower is steeply pitched, containing three tiers of gabled dormers. To the rear of the building are two further wings, each comprising eight bays with three-bay pavilions at their ends. Inside the central block is a triple arch behind which is an imperial staircase with an ornate wrought iron balustrade . The roof timbers are exposed, and
2494-411: The gable side is a two-light stair window above a quatrefoil , and another two-light window. Facing the road is a canted bay containing mullioned windows. The lodge is entered from the pedestrian walkway. The main part of the hospital was designed as a Grade II* listed building on 30 November 1970, the same date the west lodge was listed at Grade II. Since 1996 the building has been used as
2552-455: The hall is lit from above. Beyond this is a five-bay hall with two-light transomed windows. The windows contain small pieces of stained glass depicting badges of the benefactors of the hospital. Also in this hall are galleries. On Ashton Road at the entrance to the drive to the former hospital is a lodge, built in about 1873. It is also constructed in sandstone with ashlar dressings, red sandstone bands, and green slate steeply pitched roofs, and
2610-715: The most significant collection of Royal Lancastrian ceramics in Britain, and the Lancaster International Concerts Series , drawing nationally and internationally renowned classical and world-music artists. The gallery in the Storey Creative Industries Centre is now programmed and run by Lancaster City Council. In 2013 the previous incumbent organisation "The Storey Gallery" moved out of the building and reformed as "Storey G2". The Storey Creative Industries Centre
2668-552: The river to the north. Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham have been identified by the Office for National Statistics as forming the Lancaster/Morecambe Built-up area , with a population of 97,150 in the 2011 census . Within this, ONS identifies a Lancaster built-up area sub division with a 2011 population of 48,085. There is a small portion of green belt on the northern fringe of Lancaster, covering
2726-557: The site. A Roman fort was built by the end of the 1st century CE on the hill where Lancaster Castle now stands, possibly as early as the 60s, based on Roman coin evidence. Coin evidence also suggests that the fort was not continuously inhabited in its early years. It was rebuilt in stone about 102. The fort name is known only in a shortened form; the only evidence is a Roman milestone found 4 miles (6.4 km) outside Lancaster, with an inscription ending L MP IIII, meaning "from L – 4 miles, and that its name began with an L. The fort
2784-537: The summits of the dormers are finials . In the ground floor of the central block is a porch with three arches carried on red sandstone columns. Above the porch in the first floor is a canted oriel window . Behind the porch and rising above it is a three-stage tower. In the middle stage is a clock face flanked by statues in Longridge stone of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert , carved by Bridgeman of Lichfield . The statues stand in an arcade of trefoiled arches. At
2842-497: The valley to the fort at Over Burrow . Little is known of Lancaster from the end of Roman rule to the early 5th century and the Norman Conquest of the late 11th century. Despite a lack of documentation for the period, it is thought that Lancaster remained inhabited. It lay on the fringes of the kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria and over time may have passed from one to the other. Archaeological evidence suggests there
2900-592: Was a monastery on or near the site of today's Lancaster Priory by the 700s or 800s. The Anglo-Saxon runic "Cynibald's cross" found at the Priory in 1807 is thought to date from the late 9th century. Lancaster was probably one of several abbeys founded under Wilfrid . After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, Lancaster fell under the control of William I , as stated in the Domesday Book of 1086, which has
2958-526: Was established to develop the port. However, in more recent years, shipping visits Glasson Dock , where the Port commission is now based. Heysham Port , about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Lancaster, is used by ferry services to the Isle of Man , Northern Ireland and Ireland . The Lancaster Canal and River Lune pass through the city. The nearest airports are Manchester and Liverpool . In 2005, Lancaster
SECTION 50
#17327906977003016-464: Was from John , Count of Mortain , who later became King of England. Lancaster Castle , partly built in the 13th century and enlarged by Elizabeth I , stands on the site of a Roman garrison . During The Great Raid of 1322 , damage was done to the castle by Robert the Bruce , though it resisted the attack and was restored and strengthened by John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , who added much of
3074-496: Was identified in 1950 as the north wall of the 4th-century fort, which was a drastic remodelling of the 3rd-century one, while retaining the same orientation. The later fort is the only example in north-west Britain of a 4th-century type, with massive curtain-wall and projecting bastions typical of the Saxon Shore or Wales. Extension of the technique as far north as Lancaster shows that the coast between Cumberland and North Wales
3132-409: Was not left defenceless after the west-coast attacks and the disaster in the Carausian Revolt of 296, which followed from those under Albinus in 197. The fort at its largest extent covered 9–10 acres (4–4 ha). Evidence suggests that it stayed in use until the end of Roman occupation of Britain . Church Street and some of St Leonard's Gate probably mark the initial course of the Roman road up
3190-402: Was one of six English towns chosen to be cycling demonstration towns to promote cycling as a means of transport. Lancaster has cycle routes to many nearby places, many are off-road using disused railways or canal towpaths. The city's main war memorial is in a garden adjacent to the Town Hall, near Dalton Square , and commemorates those who died in the first and second world wars, Korea and
3248-425: Was perhaps named Calunium. Roman baths were found in 1812 and can be seen near the junction of Bridge Lane and Church Street. There was presumably a bath-house with the 4th-century fort. The Roman baths incorporated a reused inscription of the Gallic Emperor Postumus , dating from 262 to 266. The 3rd-century fort was garrisoned by the ala Sebosiana and numerus Barcariorum Tigrisiensium . The ancient Wery Wall
3306-402: Was run by a coalition of Labour, Green, Eco-Socialist Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors, supported by the Independent Group, with Conservatives and MBIs in opposition. The cabinet consisted of 4 Labour, 4 Green, 1 Eco-Socialist, 1 Independent Group. At 10 seats, Lancaster had one of the country's largest Green Party representations. The 2023 Lancaster City Council election resulted in
3364-526: Was the fourth most important in the UK slave trade . Among prominent Lancaster slavers were Dodshon Foster , Thomas Hinde and his namesake son. The last slave ship to be constructed in Lancaster was the 267-tonne Trafalgar , built in 1806 at Brockbank’s shipyard for Samuel Hinderland and William Hinde. Lancaster's role as a major port diminished as the river began to silt up and Morecambe , Glasson Dock and Sunderland Point became preeminent for brief periods. Heysham Port has now eclipsed all others on
#699300