The landscapes of this beautiful and rewarding area range from the shores of Morecambe Bay and the wild Forest of Bowland in the north to the coastal flatlands and Pennine mill towns in the south. Lancaster, the historic county town, boasts some of the finest Georgian buildings in northern England, while Blackpool is unrivaled anywhere for spectacular seaside architecture. The resorts of Morecambe and Southport, the planned Early Victorian port at Fleetwood, and industrial Preston with its grand Victorian churches all add to the urban diversity. Rural highlights include the celebrated Jesuit school at Stonyhurst and the extravagantly Neo-Gothic Scarisbrick Hall, two key sites of Catholic architectural patronage. A diverse inheritance of gentry houses and some distinctive traditions of vernacular building lend further variety.Each city, town and village is treated in a detailed gazetteer. An expert general introduction provides a historical and artistic overview. Numerous maps and plans, over a hundred new color photographs, full indexes and an illustrated glossary help to make this book invaluable as both reference work and guide.