Editing Lancashire

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{About|the county in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}
{{infobox English county
| official_name = Lancashire
| image_main = {{multiple images
|border=infobox|perrow=1/2/2/2 |total_width=250px
 | image1 = Central_Pier,_Blackpool_(Unsplash)_(cropped).jpg
 | image2 = The Ashton Memorial in Lancaster (12311695365).jpg
 | image3 = Clitheroe - geograph.org.uk - 4067941.jpg 
}}
| image_caption = [[Central Pier, Blackpool|Central Pier]] and the [[Blackpool Tower|Tower]], [[Blackpool]]; the [[Ashton Memorial]], [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]]; and a view of [[Clitheroe]] with the [[Forest of Bowland]] beyond
| motto = <!--for non-English motto, use: ''Motto in italics''<br />("English translation")-->
| locator_map = [[File:Lancashire UK locator map 2010.svg|250px]]
| map_caption = 
| coordinates = {{Coord|53.8|-2.6|region:GB-LAN_type:adm1st|display=title, inline}}
| region = [[North West England]]
| established_date = {{circa|1182}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highsheriffs.com/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm|title=Lancashire: county history|website=The High Sheriff's Association of England and Wales|date=2010|access-date=30 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185947/http://www.highsheriffs.com/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| established_by = 
| preceded_by = 
| origin = [[Honour of Lancaster]]
| MPs = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Lancashire|16 MPs]]
| police = [[Lancashire Constabulary]]
| largest_city = [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
| largest_town = [[Blackpool]]
<!-- Ceremonial county -->| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
| lord_lieutenant_name = [[Amanda Parker]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-lord-lieutenant-of-lancashire-4-april-2023 |date=4 April 2023 |website=Gov.uk}}</ref>
| high_sheriff_office = High Sheriff of Lancashire
| high_sheriff_name = David Taylor<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.highsheriffoflancashire.co.uk/index.php/hs-2018-2019|title=Current High Sheriff David Taylor, CBE |publisher=highsheriffoflancashire.co.uk|access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref>
| ethnicity = {{Unbulleted list
 | 82.2% [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]
 | 9.2% [[British Asians|Asian]]
 | 3.8% [[Black British people|Black]]
 | 2.8% [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|mixed]]
 | 2.0% [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|other]]
 }}
| ethnicity_year = [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]]
| ethnicity_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Population by ethnicity and change 2011-21 |url=https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/lancashire-insight/population-and-households/population-and-households-census-2021-articles/population-by-ethnicity-and-change-2011-21/ |date=31 January 2023 |website=Lancashire County Council |access-date=10 February 2023}}</ref>
<!-- Non-metropolitan county -->| county_council = [[Lancashire County Council]]
| unitary_council1 = [[Blackpool Council]]
| unitary_council2 = [[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council]]
| joint_committees = 
| admin_hq = [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
| iso_code = GB-LAN
| gss_code = E10000017
| nuts_code = TLD43
| website = {{URL|lancashire.gov.uk}}
<!-- Maps -->| districts_map = [[File:Lancashire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key = {{Colorsample|#FEFE77}} Unitary {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} County council area
| districts_list = {{Collapsible list
 | title = 
 | liststyle = list-style-type:decimal;
 | 1 = [[City of Lancaster|Lancaster]]
 | 2 = [[Borough of Wyre|Wyre]]
 | 3 = [[Borough of Blackpool|Blackpool]]
 | 4 = [[Borough of Fylde|Fylde]]
 | 5 = [[City of Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
 | 6 = [[Ribble Valley]]
 | 7 = [[South Ribble]]
 | 8 = [[Hyndburn]]
 | 9 = [[Borough of Burnley|Burnley]]
 | 10 = [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]]
 | 11 = [[West Lancashire]]
 | 12 = [[Borough of Chorley|Chorley]]
 | 13 = [[Blackburn with Darwen]]
 | 14 = [[Borough of Rossendale|Rossendale]]
 }}
}}

'''Lancashire''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|æ|ŋ|k|ə|ʃ|ər|}} {{respell|LAN|kə|shər}}, {{IPAc-en|-|ʃ|ɪər}} {{respell|-|sheer}}; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a [[ceremonial county]] in [[North West England]]. It is bordered by [[Cumbria]] to the north, [[North Yorkshire]] and [[West Yorkshire]] to the east, [[Greater Manchester]] and [[Merseyside]] to the south, and the [[Irish Sea]] to the west. The largest settlement is [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], and the [[county town]] is the city of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancashire |url=http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Lancashire/Lancashire.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.madeinpreston.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=www.abcounties.com |date=2013-06-26 |title=Lancashire |url=https://abcounties.com/counties/county-profiles/lancashire/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Association of British Counties}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Map Of Lancashire - County Map Of Lancashire, North West England |url=https://www.visitnorthwest.com/counties/lancashire/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Visit North West |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The county has an area of {{Convert|3079|km2|sqmi}} and a population of 1,490,300. Preston is located near the centre of the county, which is urbanised and includes the towns of [[Blackburn]] and [[Burnley]]; the seaside resort of [[Blackpool]] lies to the west, and [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] is in the north.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales – Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Ons.gov.uk}}</ref> For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes the county comprises a [[non-metropolitan county]], with twelve districts, and two [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] areas: [[Blackburn with Darwen]] and [[Borough of Blackpool|Blackpool]]. [[Lancashire County Council]] and the two unitary councils collaborate through the [[Lancashire Combined County Authority]]. The county historically included northern Greater Manchester and Merseyside, the [[Furness]] and [[Cartmel Peninsula|Cartmel]] peninsulas of Cumbria, and part of northern [[Cheshire]], but excluded the eastern part of the [[Forest of Bowland]].

The west of Lancashire contains flat coastal plains: the [[West Lancashire Coastal Plain|West Lancashire coastal plain]] to the south and [[the Fylde]] in the centre. The north-western coast is hilly and contains part of [[Arnside and Silverdale]], a [[National Landscape|national landscape]]. The east of the county is upland, with the [[West Pennine Moors]] in the south-east and the [[Forest of Bowland]] in the north-east; Bowland has also been designated a national landscape. The major rivers of the county are, from north to south, the [[River Lune|Lune]], the [[River Wyre|Wyre]], and the [[River Ribble|Ribble]], which all flow west into the Irish Sea. The highest point in Lancashire is either [[Gragareth]] or [[Green Hill (Lancashire)|Green Hill]], both approximately {{Convert|628|m|ft|abbr=on}} high and located in the far north-east of the county.

Lancashire was founded in the 12th century; in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 much of what would become the county is treated as part of [[Yorkshire]] and [[Cheshire]]. Until the Early Modern period the county was a comparatively poor backwater, although in 1351 it became a [[County palatine|palatine]], with a semi-independent judicial system. This changed during the [[Industrial Revolution]], when the county rapidly industrialised; until 1974 it included both Liverpool, a major port, and Manchester, which with its surrounding towns dominated the [[Textile manufacture during the British Industrial Revolution|manufacture of textiles]].<ref>{{cite news |date=13 May 2010 |title=Rivals: Liverpool v Manchester |work=BBC Liverpool |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8677000/8677547.stm}}</ref> The [[Lancashire Coalfield|Lancashire coalfield]] was also exploited, with many [[Coal mining|collieries]] opening. By 1971 Lancashire had a [[List of counties of England by population in 1971|population]] of 5,118,405, which made it the most heavily populated county in the United Kingdom after [[Greater London]].{{TOC limit|3}}

==History==
{{Main|History of Lancashire}}

===Before the county===
During Roman times the area was part of the [[Brigantes]] tribal area in the military zone of [[Roman Britain]]. The towns of [[Manchester]], [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], [[Ribchester]], [[Over Burrow|Burrow]], [[Elslack]] and [[Castleshaw]] grew around Roman forts. In the centuries after the Roman withdrawal in 410 AD the northern parts of the county probably formed part of the [[Britons (historical)|Brythonic]] kingdom of [[Rheged]]{{Citation needed|reason=Rheged is generally associated with further North (around Carlisle), a source is required to demonstrate territory extending so far Southwards.|date=January 2025}}, a successor entity to the Brigantes tribe{{Citation needed|reason=|date=January 2025}}. During the mid-8th century, the area was incorporated into the [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[Kingdom of Northumbria]] from the north of the [[River Ribble]] and the [[Kingdom of Mercia]] from the south, which both became parts of England in the 10th century.

In the ''[[Domesday Book]]'', land between the [[River Ribble|Ribble]] and Mersey were known as "[[Hundreds of Cheshire|Inter Ripam et Mersam]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shrievalty-association.org.uk/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm |title=Lancashire: County History |publisher=High Sheriff's Association of England and Wales (The Shrievalty Association) |access-date=26 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320101912/http://www.shrievalty-association.org.uk/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm|archive-date=20 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=sylvesterp14>Sylvester (1980). p. 14</ref> and included in the returns for [[Cheshire]].<ref>Morgan (1978). pp. 269c–301c,d</ref> Although some historians consider this to mean south Lancashire was then part of Cheshire,<ref name=sylvesterp14 /><ref name="Booth, P 1991">Booth, P. cited in George, D., ''Lancashire'' (1991)</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=October 2022}} it is by no means certain.<ref group="note">Harris and Thacker (1987) write on page 252: "Certainly there were links between Cheshire and south Lancashire before 1000, when Wulfric Spot held lands in both territories. Wulfric's estates remained grouped together after his death, when they were left to his brother Aelfhelm. And indeed, there still seems to have been some kind of connexion in 1086, when south Lancashire was surveyed together with Cheshire by the Domesday commissioners. Nevertheless, the two territories do seem to have been distinguished from one another in some way and it is not certain that the shire-moot and the reeves referred to in the south Lancashire section of Domesday were the Cheshire ones."</ref><ref>Phillips and Phillips (2002). pp. 26–31</ref><ref group="note">Crosby, A. (1996) writes on page 31: "The Domesday Survey (1086) included south Lancashire with Cheshire for convenience, but the Mersey, the name of which means 'boundary river' is known to have divided the kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia and there is no doubt that this was the real boundary."</ref> It is also claimed that the territory to the north formed part of the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]].<ref name="Booth, P 1991"/>{{Full citation needed|date=October 2022}}

===Early history===
[[File:Lancashire 1610 Speed Hondius - Restoration.jpg|thumb| Map of the ''countie pallatine of Lancaster'', 1610 by [[John Speed]]]]
The county was established in 1182,<ref name="George_D">George, D., ''Lancashire'', (1991)</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=October 2022}} and came to be bordered by [[Cumberland, England|Cumberland]], [[Westmorland]], Yorkshire, and Cheshire. It was divided into the [[hundred (division)|hundred]]s of [[Amounderness]], [[Blackburn (hundred)|Blackburn]], [[Leyland (hundred)|Leyland]], [[Lonsdale (hundred)|Lonsdale]], [[Salford (hundred)|Salford]] and [[West Derby (hundred)|West Derby]].<ref name=lancs_ancient_divisions>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10173000&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001002010/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10173000&c_id=10001043 |date=1 October 2007 }} – Lancashire ancient county divisions</ref> Lonsdale was further partitioned into Lonsdale North, the detached part north of the sands of [[Morecambe Bay]] including [[Furness]] and [[Cartmel]], and Lonsdale South.

===Victorian era to late 20th century===
Since the [[Victorian era]], Lancashire has had multiple reforms of local government.<ref name=berrington>Berrington, E., ''Change in British Politics'', (1984)</ref> In 1889, the [[administrative counties of England|administrative county]] of Lancashire was created, covering the greater part of the county. Multiple [[county borough]]s were outside the [[county council]] control: [[Barrow-in-Furness]], [[Blackburn]], [[County Borough of Bolton|Bolton]], [[Bootle]], [[Burnley]], [[County Borough of Bury|Bury]], [[Liverpool]], [[Manchester]], [[County Borough of Oldham|Oldham]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], [[County Borough of Rochdale|Rochdale]], [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]], [[St Helens, Merseyside|St. Helens]], and [[County Borough of Wigan|Wigan]]. The area served by the [[Lord-Lieutenant]] (termed now a [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]]) covered the entirety of the administrative county and the county boroughs. It expanded whenever boroughs annexed areas in neighbouring counties such as [[Wythenshawe]] in Manchester south of the River Mersey and from Cheshire, and southern [[Warrington]]. It did not cover the western part of [[Todmorden]], where the ancient border between Lancashire and Yorkshire passes through the middle of the town.

During the 20th century, the county became increasingly urban with [[County Borough of Warrington|Warrington]] (1900), [[County Borough of Blackpool|Blackpool]] (1904) and [[County Borough of Southport|Southport]] (1905) becoming county boroughs, with many boundary extensions. The borders around the Manchester area were particularly complicated, with narrow protrusions of the administrative county between the county boroughs – [[Lees Urban District]] formed a detached part of the administrative county, between Oldham county borough and the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]].<ref name=maudwood>Lord Redcliffe-Maud and Bruce Wood. English Local Government Reformed. (1974)</ref> Lancaster, the historic [[county town]], became a city in 1937.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Beckett |first1=John |date=2008 |title=Lancaster becomes a city, 1937 |url=https://www.hslc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/157-9-Beckett.pdf |journal=Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire |volume=157 |pages=149–156 |doi=10.3828/transactions.157.9 |access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> 

The administrative county was also the most populous of its type outside London, with a population of 2,280,359 in 1961. By the [[census]] of 1971, the population of Lancashire and its county boroughs had reached 5,129,416, making it the most populous geographic county in the UK.<ref name="highsheriffs.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.highsheriffs.com/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm|title=High Sheriff – Lancashire County History|work=highsheriffs.com|access-date=7 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819222224/http://www.highsheriffs.com/Lancashire/LancashireHistory.htm|archive-date=19 August 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Post-1974===
[[File:Historical and current boundaries of Lancashire.png|thumb|The [[Historic counties of England|historic]] [[county palatine]] boundaries in red and the ceremonial county in green]]

On 1 April 1974, under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], the local government structure of Lancashire was reorganised. The south-east of the county became part of the [[metropolitan county]] of [[Greater Manchester]] and the south-west became part of the metropolitan county of [[Merseyside]];<ref name="politics_uk">Jones, B. et al., ''Politics UK'', (2004)</ref> [[Widnes]] and [[Warrington]] in the south were transferred to [[Cheshire]].<ref name="George_D" />{{Full citation needed|date=October 2022}} In the north, the [[non-metropolitan county]] of [[Cumbria]] incorporated the [[Furness|Furness exclave]].  

The remainder of Lancashire was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan county with thirteen districts. It included some areas formerly in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], namely the [[Urban district council|urban districts]] of [[Barnoldswick]] and [[Earby]], [[Bowland Rural District]], and the parishes of [[Bracewell and Brogden]] and [[Salterforth]] from [[Skipton Rural District]].<ref name="lga1972">Local Government Act 1972. 1972, c. 70</ref> 

In 1994, the parish of [[Simonswood]] was transferred from the borough of [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]] in Merseyside to the district of [[West Lancashire]].<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930691_en_1.htm OPSI] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165106/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19930691_en_1.htm |date=30 September 2007 }} – The Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside (County and Metropolitan Borough Boundaries) Order 1993</ref> In 1998, Blackpool and [[Blackburn with Darwen]] became [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authorities]], removing them from the [[non-metropolitan county]] but not from the [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]].

==Geography==

===Geology, landscape, and ecology===
{{See also|Geology of Lancashire}}
[[File:Topography of Lancashire.png|thumb|upright=1.15|Topography of Lancashire]]The three main rivers in Lancashire are the [[River Ribble|Ribble]], [[River Wyre|Wyre]] and [[River Lune|Lune]], which all drain west to the [[Irish Sea]]. The Wyre rises in Bowland and is entirely within Lancashire, while the Ribble and Lune rise in [[North Yorkshire]] and [[Cumbria]] respectively. Many of Lancashire's other rivers are tributaries of the Ribble, including the [[River Calder, Lancashire|Calder]], [[River Darwen|Darwen]], [[River Douglas, Lancashire|Douglas]], and [[River Hodder|Hodder]]. The [[River Irwell|Irwell]], which flows through Manchester, has its source in Lancashire.

To the west of the county are [[the Fylde]] coastal plain and [[West Lancashire Coastal Plain|West Lancashire coastal plain]], which lie north and south of the [[Ribble and Alt Estuaries|Ribble Estuary]] respectively. Apart from the coastal resorts these areas are largely rural and devoted to vegetable crops. Further north is [[Morecambe Bay]]. In the northwest corner of the county, straddling the border with Cumbria, is the [[Arnside and Silverdale]] National Landscape, characterised by its [[limestone pavement]]s and home to the [[Leighton Moss]] nature reserve.

In the east of the county are upland areas leading to the Pennines. North of the Ribble are [[Beacon Fell Country Park]] and the [[Forest of Bowland]], another [[National Landscape]]. Much of the lowland in this area is devoted to dairy farming and cheesemaking, whereas the higher ground is more suitable for sheep, and the highest ground is uncultivated [[moorland]]. The valleys of the River Ribble and its tributary the Calder form a large gap to the west of the Pennines, overlooked by [[Pendle Hill]]. South of the Ribble are the [[West Pennine Moors]] and the [[Forest of Rossendale]], where former cotton mill towns are in deep valleys. The [[Lancashire Coalfield]], largely in modern-day [[Greater Manchester]], extended into [[Merseyside]] and to [[Ormskirk]], [[Chorley]], [[Burnley]] and [[Colne]] in Lancashire.

The highest point of the ceremonial county is [[Gragareth]], near [[Whernside]], which reaches a height of 627 m (2,057 ft).<ref>[http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/chapter6.htm BUBL Information Service] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726194651/http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/chapter6.htm|date=26 July 2012}} – The Relative Hills of Britain</ref> [[Green Hill (Lancashire)|Green Hill]] near Gragareth has also been cited as the [[Peak bagging|"county" top]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Administrative (1974) County Tops |url=http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/CountyTops1974.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124191010/http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/CountyTops1974.php |archive-date=24 November 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010 |publisher=Hill-bagging.co.uk |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The highest point in the historic county is [[Coniston Old Man]] in the [[Lake District]], at 803 m (2,634 ft).<ref>{{cite web |title=Historic County Tops |url=http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/CountyTopsHistoric.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123215803/http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/CountyTopsHistoric.php |archive-date=23 November 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010 |publisher=Hill-bagging.co.uk |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Human geography===
{{further|North West Green Belt}}
[[File:North West Green Belt.svg|thumb|{{legend|#92F98B|The North West Green Belt|outline=#808080}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #0024FF|Ceremonial county borders}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #FD3EC4|District council borders}}
]]
The north of the ceremonial county is less densely populated than the south, especially inland. The [[The Fylde|Fylde]] coast is continuously built-up from [[Lytham St Annes]] to [[Fleetwood]], including [[Blackpool]], and further north [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], [[Morecambe]], and [[Heysham]] form a conurbation. The rest of the region is characterised by small towns and villages in the flat farmland surrounding the lower reaches of the [[River Ribble|Ribble]], [[River Wyre|Wyre]], and [[River Lune|Lune]] and the sparsely populated uplands of the [[Forest of Bowland]].

The centre and south-east of Lancashire are relatively urbanised, especially around the major settlements of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], [[Blackburn]], and [[Burnley]] and near the border with Greater Manchester.<ref>{{cite web |title=- Rural and Urban Geographies |url=https://clickweb.lancashire.gov.uk/?siteid=4156&pageid=26524&e=e |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=clickweb.lancashire.gov.uk}}</ref> The [[Central Lancashire]] urban area includes the city of Preston and the towns of [[Penwortham]], [[Leyland, Lancashire|Leyland]] and [[Chorley, Lancashire|Chorley]]. A short distance east, Blackburn and [[Darwen]] are the first of several adjacent areas urban areas which continue east toward [[West Yorkshire]] and south into the valleys leading to Greater Manchester, the others being [[Accrington/Rossendale built-up area|Accrington and Rossendale]] and [[Burnley built-up area|Burnley]]. [[West Lancashire]] in the south-west is rural with the exception of [[Skelmersdale]], which forms part of [[Wigan urban area]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moffitt |first1=Dominic |date=8 December 2019 |title=Manchester and Liverpool: How Lancashire lost its cities |language=en |work=LancsLive |url=https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/manchester-liverpool-how-lancashire-lost-17378502 |access-date=13 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Market Towns – Visit Lancashire |url=https://www.visitlancashire.com/explore/market-towns |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=visitlancashire.com}}</ref> 

The [[North West Green Belt]] covers a large part of the south and centre of the county to prevents the settlements there from converging both with each other and with the nearby [[Liverpool Urban Area|Merseyside]] and Greater Manchester conurbations. It includes all of the non-urban areas in the boroughs of West Lancashire and South Ribble and the majority of Chorley; elsewhere it is less extensive, but covers the areas between the major settlements. There is a further area of green belt in the north of the county between Lancaster, Morecambe, and [[Carnforth]].

The cities of [[Manchester]], [[Salford]], [[Liverpool]] and the following settlements within the historic county boundaries are currently in the ceremonial counties of [[West Yorkshire]], [[Cheshire]], [[Merseyside]], [[Greater Manchester]] and [[Cumbria]]:<ref name="George_D" />{{Full citation needed|date=October 2022}}<ref name="lga1972" /><ref name="lancs_ancient_boundaries">[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10173000&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001001412/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10173000&c_id=10001043|date=1 October 2007}} – Lancashire ancient county boundaries</ref><ref name="politics_uk" /><ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10097848&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001023302/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10097848&c_id=10001043|date=1 October 2007}} – Lancashire boundaries 1974</ref><ref name="chandler">Chandler, J., ''Local Government Today'', (2001)</ref><ref name="Youngs">Youngs. Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England. Volume 2. Northern England</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="border:0; text-align:left; line-height:150%;"
|-
! scope="column" | To ceremonial
! scope="column" | From historic Lancashire
|-
! scope="row" | Greater Manchester
| {{flatlist|
* [[Abram, Greater Manchester|Abram]]
* [[Ashton-in-Makerfield]]
* [[Ashton-under-Lyne]]
* [[Aspull]]
* [[Astley, Greater Manchester|Astley]]
* [[Atherton, Greater Manchester|Atherton]]
* [[Audenshaw]]
* [[Blackrod]]
* [[Bolton]]
* [[Boothstown]]
* [[Bury, Greater Manchester|Bury]]
* [[Cadishead]]
* [[Chadderton]]
* [[Clifton, Greater Manchester|Clifton]]
* [[Denton, Greater Manchester|Denton]]
* [[Droylsden]]
* [[Eccles, Greater Manchester|Eccles]]
* [[Failsworth]]
* [[Farnworth]]
* [[Golborne]]
* [[Haughton Green]]
* [[Four Heatons|Heatons]]
* [[Heywood, Greater Manchester|Heywood]]
* [[Horwich]]
* [[Hindley, Greater Manchester|Hindley]]
* [[Ince-in-Makerfield]]
* [[Irlam]]
* [[Kearsley]]
* [[Lees, Greater Manchester|Lees]]
* [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]]
* [[Littleborough, Greater Manchester|Littleborough]]
* [[Little Hulton]]
* [[Little Lever]]
* [[Lowton]]
* Manchester
* [[Middleton, Greater Manchester|Middleton]]
* [[Milnrow]]
* [[Mosley Common]]
* [[Mossley]] (part)
* [[Newhey]]
* [[Oldham]]
* [[Orrell, Greater Manchester|Orrell]]
* [[Pendlebury]]
* [[Platt Bridge]]
* [[Prestwich]]
* [[Radcliffe, Greater Manchester|Radcliffe]]
* [[Ramsbottom]]
* [[Reddish]]
* [[Rochdale]]
* [[Royton]]
* Salford
* [[Shaw and Crompton]]
* [[Shevington]]
* [[South Turton]]
* [[Standish, Greater Manchester|Standish]]
* [[Stalybridge]] (part)
* [[Stretford]]
* [[Swinton, Greater Manchester|Swinton]]
* [[Tottington, Greater Manchester|Tottington]]
* [[Tyldesley]]
* [[Urmston]]
* [[Walkden]]
* [[Westhoughton]]
* [[Whitefield, Greater Manchester|Whitefield]]
* [[Wigan]]
* [[Worsley]]
}}
|-
! scope="row" | Merseyside
| {{flatlist|
* [[Billinge, Merseyside|Billinge]]
* [[Bootle]]
* [[Crosby, Merseyside|Crosby]]
* [[Earlestown]]
* [[Eccleston, St Helens|Eccleston]]
* [[Formby]]
* [[Halewood]]
* [[Halsnead Garden Village|Halsnead]]
* [[Haydock]]
* [[Huyton]]
* [[Kirkby]]
* [[Litherland]]
* Liverpool
* [[Maghull]]
* [[Newton-le-Willows]]
* [[Prescot]]
* [[Rainford]]
* [[Rainhill]]
* [[Seaforth, Merseyside|Seaforth]]
* [[St Helens, Merseyside|St. Helens]]
* [[Southport]]
* [[Stockbridge Village]]
* [[Waterloo, Merseyside|Waterloo]]
* [[Whiston, Merseyside|Whiston]]
}}
|-
! scope="row" | Cumbria
| {{flatlist|
* [[Askam and Ireleth]]
* [[Barrow-in-Furness]]
* [[Broughton-in-Furness]]
* [[Cartmel]]
* [[Coniston, Cumbria|Coniston]]
* [[Dalton-in-Furness]]
* [[Grange-over-Sands]]
* [[Hawkshead]]
* [[Ulverston]]
* [[Walney Island]]
}}
|-
! scope="row" | Cheshire
| {{flatlist|
* [[Culcheth]]
* [[Birchwood, Cheshire|Birchwood]]
* [[Warrington]]
* [[Widnes]]
}}
|-
! scope="row" | West Yorkshire
| [[Todmorden]] (part)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid black;"
! scope="column" | From historic
! scope="column" | To ceremonial Lancashire
|-
! scope="row" | West Riding of Yorkshire
| | {{flatlist|
* [[Barnoldswick]]
* [[Bolton-by-Bowland]]
* [[Earby]]
* [[Slaidburn]]
}}
|-
|}

Boundary changes before 1974 include:<ref name="Youngs" />
*[[Todmorden]], split between Lancashire and Yorkshire then entirely to West Riding of Yorkshire in 1889
*[[Mossley]], split between Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cheshire then entirely to Lancashire in 1889
*[[Stalybridge]], entirely to Cheshire in 1889
*Areas such as [[Wythenshawe]] and [[Latchford, Cheshire|Latchford]], former county boroughs of Manchester and Warrington both extended south of the Mersey into historic Cheshire
*areas such as [[Reddish]] and the [[Four Heatons|Heatons]] ([[Heaton Chapel]], [[Heaton Mersey]], [[Heaton Moor]] and [[Heaton Norris]]), former county borough of Stockport extended north into [[Lancashire County Palatine|historic Lancashire]].

==Governance==
{{Main|Lancashire County Council|Borough of Blackpool|Borough of Blackburn with Darwen|Lancashire Combined County Authority}}

===Local government===
[[File:Arms of Lancashire County Council.svg|thumb|The [[coat of arms]] of [[Lancashire County Council]]]]
The ceremonial county of Lancashire is divided into fourteen [[Local authority district|local government district]]s. 

The twelve districts of [[Burnley (borough)|Burnley]], [[Chorley (borough)|Chorley]], [[Fylde (borough)|Fylde]], [[Hyndburn]], [[City of Lancaster|Lancaster]], [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]], [[City of Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], [[Ribble Valley]], [[Borough of Rossendale|Rossendale]], [[South Ribble]], [[West Lancashire]], and [[Borough of Wyre|Wyre]] are part of the two-tier [[non-metropolitan county]] of Lancashire, which is administered by [[Lancashire County Council]] and twelve district councils.<ref name="vob_lancs_divisions">[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10097848 Vision of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930235607/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10097848|date=30 September 2007}} – Divisions of Lancashire</ref><ref>[http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/lancashire_handbook/districts_of_lancashire/index.asp Lancashire County Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070415113304/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/lancashire_handbook/districts_of_lancashire/index.asp|date=15 April 2007}} – Lancashire districts</ref> The county council is based in [[County Hall, Preston|County Hall]] in [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], and has 84 councillors.<ref>"Opening of the new Town-Hall at Preston". ''The Times''. 15 September 1882</ref> It has been controlled by [[Reform UK]] since the [[2025 Lancashire County Council election|2025 local election]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Lancashire County |title=Previous elections |url=https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/elections/previous-elections/ |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Lancashire.gov.uk}}</ref> 

[[Borough of Blackpool|Blackpool]] and [[Blackburn with Darwen]] are [[Unitary Authority Area|unitary authority areas]], meaning their councils combine the functions of a district and county council. They were formed in 1996, before which each district was part of the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 July 1996 |title=The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1868/part/II/made |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> Both authorities currently have a majority Labour administration.

[[Lancashire County Council]], [[Blackpool Council]], and [[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council]] collaborate through the [[Lancashire Combined County Authority]], which was established in February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-05 |title=New Combined County Authority is officially launched |url=https://news.lancashire.gov.uk/news/new-combined-county-authority-is-officially-launched |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Lancashire County Council |language=en-GB}}</ref>

[[File:Lancashire County Hall, Preston.jpg|thumb|[[County Hall, Preston]]]]
The ceremonial county itself only has a minor administrative function, being the area to which the [[Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire]] is appointed; the [[shrieval county]] has the same boundaries and is the area to which the [[High Sheriff of Lancashire]] is appointed.

===Parliamentary constituencies===
{{see also|List of parliamentary constituencies in Lancashire}}

The ceremonial county is divided into sixteen [[United Kingdom constituencies|constituencies]] for the purpose of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|parliamentary]] representation.
{| class=wikitable
|+ General Election 2019: Lancashire<ref name="BBCresults">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2019/results/england|title=Results of the 2019 General Election in England|work=BBC News}}</ref>
|-
! Conservative !! Labour !! Liberal Democrats !! Green !! Brexit Party !! Others !! ''Turnout''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| '''331,000'''<br />−7,000
| style="text-align:center;"| 270,000<br />−92,000
| style="text-align:center;"| 37,000<br />+9,000
| style="text-align:center;"| 19,000<br />+10,000
| style="text-align:center;"| 16,000<br />+16,000
| style="text-align:center;"| 41,000<br />+39,000
| ''716,000''<br />−34,000
|}

{| class=wikitable
|+ Overall Number of Seats as of 2019
! Conservative !! Labour !! Liberal Democrats !! Green !! Brexit Party !! Others
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| '''11'''<br />+3
|| 4<br />−4
|| 0<br />—
|| 0<br />—
|| 0<br />—
|| 1 ([[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]])<br />+1
|}

===Duchy of Lancaster===
{{see also|History of Lancashire}}
The [[Duchy of Lancaster]], the private estate of the sovereign, exercises the right of [[the Crown]] in the County Palatine of Lancaster.<ref name="duchyoflancaster.co.uk">{{cite web |title=County Palatine |url=http://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/about-the-duchy/history/county-palatine/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713121602/http://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/about-the-duchy/history/county-palatine/ |archive-date=13 July 2017 |access-date=24 August 2015 |work=Duchy of Lancaster |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The most prominent effect of this is that the Duchy administers ''[[bona vacantia]]'' within the County Palatine, receiving the property of persons who die intestate and where the legal ownership cannot be ascertained.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bona Vacantia {{!}} Duchy of Lancaster |url=https://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/about-the-duchy/duties-of-the-duchy/bona-vacantia/ |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=duchyoflancaster.co.uk}}</ref> The county palatine boundaries remain the same as the [[Historic Counties of England|historic boundaries]], ignoring subsequent local government reforms.<ref>{{cite web |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 15 Jun 1992 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199293/cmhansrd/1992-06-15/Writtens-2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120191520/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199293/cmhansrd/1992-06-15/Writtens-2.html |archive-date=20 November 2017 |access-date=2 September 2017 |work=parliament.uk |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Economy==
Lancashire in the 19th century was a major centre of economic activity, and hence one of wealth. Activities included coal mining, textile production, particularly that which used cotton, and fishing. Preston Docks, an industrial port is now disused. Lancashire was historically the location of the port of [[Liverpool]] while [[Barrow-in-Furness]] is famous for [[shipbuilding]].

As of 2013, the largest private sector industry is the defence industry with [[BAE Systems Military Air Solutions]] division based in [[Warton, Fylde|Warton]] on [[the Fylde]] coast. The division operates a manufacturing site in [[Samlesbury]]. Other defence firms include [[BAE Systems Global Combat Systems]] in Chorley, [[Ultra Electronics]] in [[Fulwood, Lancashire|Fulwood]] and [[Rolls-Royce plc]] in [[Barnoldswick]].

The [[nuclear power]] industry has a plant at Springfields, [[Salwick]] operated by [[Westinghouse Electric Company|Westinghouse]] and [[Heysham nuclear power station]] is operated by [[British Energy]]. Other major manufacturing firms include [[Leyland Trucks]], a subsidiary of [[Paccar]] building the [[DAF Trucks|DAF]] truck range.

Other companies with a major presence in Lancashire include:

* [[Airline Network]], an internet travel company with headquarters in Preston.
* [[Baxi]], a heating equipment manufacturer has a large manufacturing site in Bamber Bridge.
* [[Crown Paints]], a major paint manufacturer based in Darwen.
* [[Dr. Oetker]], an international food processing company, has a factory in Leyland that produces frozen pizza mostly under the Chicago Town and Ristorante brands.
* [[Enterprise plc]], one of the UK's leading support services based in Leyland.
* [[Hanson plc]], a building supplies company operates the Accrington brick works.
* [[Holland's Pies]], a major manufacturer of baked goods based in Baxenden near Accrington.
* [[National Savings and Investments]], the state-owned savings bank, which offers [[Premium Bond]]s and other savings products, has an office in Blackpool.
* [[Thwaites Brewery]], a [[regional brewery]] founded in 1807 by Juno Thwaites in [[Blackburn]].
* [[Xchanging]], a company providing business process outsourcing services, with operations in Fulwood.
* [[AB InBev]], a multinational beverage company, brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Brahma, Bass and Boddingtons in Samlesbury.
* [[Fisherman's Friend]], a confection company, famous for making strong mints and lozenges, based in Fleetwood.
* The Foulnaze [[cockle (bivalve)|cockle]] fishery is in Lytham. It has only opened the coastal cockle beds three times in twenty years; August 2013 was the last of these openings.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eyewitness: Lytham, Lancashire|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/picture/2013/aug/13/eyewitness-lytham-lancashire|access-date=14 August 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=13 August 2013|author=Christopher Thomond|format=Image upload|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304203853/http://www.theguardian.com/world/picture/2013/aug/13/eyewitness-lytham-lancashire|archive-date=4 March 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Enterprise zone===
The creation of Lancashire Enterprise Zone was announced in 2011. It was launched in April 2012, based at the airfields owned by BAE Systems in Warton and Samlesbury.<ref name=lt1>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9554645._Big_companies__interested_in_East_Lancashire_enterprise_zone/ |title='Big companies' interested in East Lancashire enterprise zone |last=Dillon |first=Jonathon |newspaper=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |date=26 February 2012 |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095837/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9554645._Big_companies__interested_in_East_Lancashire_enterprise_zone/ |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Warton Aerodrome]] covers {{convert|72|ha}} and [[Samlesbury Aerodrome]] is 74 hectares.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9890635.Lancashire_enterprize_zone_due_in_to_boost_jobs_18_months/ |title=Lancashire enterprize [sic] zone due in to boost jobs 18 months |last=Woodhouse |first=Lisa |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph |date=23 August 2012 |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823015430/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9890635.Lancashire_enterprize_zone_due_in_to_boost_jobs_18_months/ |archive-date=23 August 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Development is coordinated by Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Lancashire County Council and BAE Systems.<ref name=lt1/> The first businesses to move into the zone did so in March 2015, at Warton.<ref name=bg1>{{cite news |url=http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/enterprise-zone-takes-off-1-7173915 |title=Enterprise zone takes off |newspaper=[[Blackpool Gazette]] |date=25 March 2015 |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327235136/http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/enterprise-zone-takes-off-1-7173915 |archive-date=27 March 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In March 2015 the government announced a new [[enterprise zone]] would be created at [[Blackpool Airport]], using some airport and adjoining land.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/new-lancashire-enterprise-zone-confirmed-in-budget-1-7162401 |title=New Lancashire enterprise zone confirmed in Budget |newspaper=Blackpool Gazette |date=18 March 2015 |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322050345/http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/new-lancashire-enterprise-zone-confirmed-in-budget-1-7162401 |archive-date=22 March 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Operations at the airport will not be affected.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/no-impact-on-runway-from-redevelopment-1-7167480 |title=No impact on runway from redevelopment |newspaper=Blackpool Gazette |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322192718/http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/no-impact-on-runway-from-redevelopment-1-7167480 |archive-date=22 March 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

===Economic output===
[[File:cattle Banks marsh.JPG|thumb|right|Cattle grazing on the [[salt marshes]] of the [[Ribble and Alt Estuaries|Ribble Estuary]] near [[Banks, Lancashire|Banks]]]]

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire at basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |title=Regional Gross Value Added|website=statistics.gov.uk |access-date=2015-10-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070226163731/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |archive-date=26 February 2007 }} pp. 240–253 [[Office for National Statistics]]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added <ref group="note">Components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref> || Agriculture <ref group="note">Includes hunting and forestry</ref> || Industry <ref group="note">Includes energy and construction</ref> || Services <ref group="note">Includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref>
|-
| 1995 || '''13,789''' || 344 || 5,461 || 7,984
|-
| 2000 || '''16,584''' || 259 || 6,097 || 10,229
|-
| 2003 || '''19,206''' || 294 || 6,352 || 12,560
|}

==Education==
{{Main|List of schools in Lancashire}}

Lancashire has a mostly comprehensive system with four state grammar schools. Not including [[sixth form college]]s, there are 77 state schools (not including Burnley's new schools) and 24 independent schools. The Clitheroe area has secondary modern schools. Sixth form provision is limited at most schools in most districts, with only Fylde and Lancaster districts having mostly sixth forms at schools. The rest depend on FE colleges and sixth form colleges, where they exist. South Ribble has the largest school population and Fylde the smallest (only three schools). Burnley's schools have had a new broom and have essentially been knocked down and started again in 2006. There are many Church of England and Catholic faith schools in Lancashire.

Lancashire is home to four universities: [[Lancaster University]], the [[University of Central Lancashire]], [[Edge Hill University]] and the Lancaster campus of the [[University of Cumbria]]. Seven colleges offer higher education courses.

==Transport==
===Roadways===
[[File:M6 motorway near Carnforth.jpg|thumb|right|The M6 near [[Carnforth]]]]
The Lancashire economy relies strongly on the [[M6 motorway]] which runs from north to south, past Lancaster and Preston. The [[M55 motorway|M55]] connects Preston to Blackpool and is 11.5 miles (18.3 km) long. The [[M65 motorway]] from [[Colne]], connects Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn to Preston. The [[M61 motorway|M61]] from Preston via [[Chorley]] and the [[M66 motorway|M66]] starting {{convert|500|m|mi|1}} inside the county boundary near [[Edenfield]], provide links between Lancashire and Manchester, and the trans-Pennine [[M62 motorway|M62]]. The [[M58 motorway|M58]] crosses the southernmost part of the county from the M6 near Wigan to Liverpool via [[Skelmersdale]].

Other major roads include the east–west [[A59 road|A59]] between Liverpool in Merseyside and [[Skipton]] in North Yorkshire via Ormskirk, Preston and Clitheroe, and the connecting [[A565 road|A565]] to [[Southport]]; the [[A56 road|A56]] from [[Ramsbottom]] to [[Padiham]] via [[Haslingden]] and from Colne to Skipton; the [[A585 road|A585]] from [[Kirkham, Lancashire|Kirkham]] to [[Fleetwood]]; the [[A666 road|A666]] from the A59 north of Blackburn to Bolton via [[Darwen]]; and the A683 from [[Heysham]] to [[Kirkby Lonsdale]] via Lancaster.

Several bus companies run [[bus|bus services]] in the Lancashire area serving the main towns and villages in the county with some services running to neighbouring areas, [[Cumbria]], [[Greater Manchester]], [[Merseyside]] and [[West Yorkshire]]. Some of these include: 
* [[Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire]]
* [[Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire]]
* [[Bee Network]]
* [[Transdev Blazefield]]
* [[Preston Bus]]

===Railways===
{{Location map+|Lancashire
| Header=Railways in Lancashire
|caption={{div col}}{{Legend-line|4px solid #000000|Primary route}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #404040|Secondary route}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #be2d2c|Rural route}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #a0a0a0|Goods only}}
{{Legend-line|2px solid #018f10|[[Heritage railway]]}}
{{Legend-line|2px dotted #0000ff|[[Light rail]]/[[tram]]way}}
{{Legend-line|1px solid #d8a000|Disused railway}}{{div col end}}
| AlternativeMap=Lancashire railway map.svg
| float=right | width=340 | places =
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.756|long=-2.707|label={{stnlnk|Preston}}|label_size=85|position=bottom}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=54.048|long=-2.807|label={{stnlnk|Lancaster}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.822|long=-3.049|label={{rws|Blackpool North||Blackpool&nbsp;North}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.746|long=-2.479|label=<br />{{stnlnk|Blackburn}}|label_size=85|position=top}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.794|long=-2.245|label={{stnlnk|Burnley Central||Burnley}}|label_size=85|position=top}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.855|long=-2.182|label={{stnlnk|Colne}}|label_size=85|position=top}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.698|long=-2.465|label={{stnlnk|Darwen}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.874|long=-2.394|label={{stnlnk|Clitheroe}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=54.070|long=-2.870|label={{stnlnk|Morecambe}}|label_size=85|position=top}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=54.033|long=-2.912|label={{stnlnk|Heysham Port}}|label_size=85|position=bottom}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.569|long=-2.881|label={{stnlnk|Ormskirk}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.698|long=-2.292|label={{stnlnk|Rawtenstall}}|label_size=85|position=bottom|mark=Green pog.svg}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=54.130|long=-2.771|label={{stnlnk|Carnforth}}|label_size=85|position=top}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.798|long=-3.049|label={{rws|Blackpool South||Blackpool&nbsp;South}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.739|long=-2.964|label={{stnlnk|Lytham}}|label_size=85|position=bottom}}
  {{Location map~|Lancashire|lat=53.753|long=-2.370|label={{stnlnk|Accrington}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
}}
The [[West Coast Main Line]] provides direct rail links with London, Glasgow and other major cities, with stations at {{stnlnk|Preston}} and {{stnlnk|Lancaster}}. East-west connections are carried via the [[East Lancashire Line]] between [[Blackpool North railway station|Blackpool]] and {{stnlnk|Colne}} via {{stnlnk|Lytham}}, Preston, {{stnlnk|Blackburn}}, {{stnlnk|Accrington}} and [[Burnley Central railway station|Burnley]]. The [[Ribble Valley Line]] runs from {{stnlnk|Bolton}} to {{stnlnk|Hellifield}} with regular passenger services running as far as {{stnlnk|Clitheroe}} via {{stnlnk|Darwen}} and Blackburn. There are connecting lines from Preston to {{stnlnk|Ormskirk}} and Bolton, and from Lancaster to {{stnlnk|Morecambe}}, [[Heysham Port railway station|Heysham]] and {{stnlnk|Skipton}}.

===Airways===
[[Blackpool Airport]] are no longer operating domestic or international flights, but it is still the home of flying schools, private operators and North West Air Ambulance. [[Manchester Airport]] is the main airport in the region. [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] is nearby, while the closest airport to the Pendle Borough is [[Leeds Bradford International Airport|Leeds Bradford]].

There is an operational airfield at [[Warton Aerodrome|Warton]] near Preston where there is a major assembly and test facility for [[BAE Systems]].

===Waterways===
[[Heysham]] offers ferry services to [[Ireland]] and the [[Isle of Man]].<ref>[http://www.transportforlancashire.com/downloads/maps/Lancs_Inter-Urban_Route.pdf Transport for Lancashire] – Lancashire Inter Urban Bus and Rail Map (PDF) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930083732/http://www.transportforlancashire.com/downloads/maps/Lancs_Inter-Urban_Route.pdf |date=30 September 2011 }}</ref> As part of its industrial past, Lancashire gave rise to an extensive network of canals, which extend into neighbouring counties. These include the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]], [[Lancaster Canal]], [[Sankey Canal]], [[Bridgewater Canal]], [[Rochdale Canal]], [[Ashton Canal]] and [[Manchester Ship Canal]].

==Demography==
{{see also|List of settlements in Lancashire by population}}
The major settlements in the ceremonial county are concentrated on [[the Fylde]] coast (the [[Blackpool Urban Area]]), and a number of notable settlements along west to east of the [[M65 motorway|M65]]: including the city of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and towns of [[Blackburn]], [[Darwen]], [[Accrington]], [[Burnley]], [[Padiham]], [[Brierfield, Lancashire|Brierfield]], [[Nelson, Lancashire|Nelson]] and [[Colne]]. South of Preston are the towns of [[Leyland, Lancashire|Leyland]] and [[Chorley]] (which, with Preston, formed [[Central Lancashire]] New Town designated in 1970), as well as [[Penwortham]], [[Skelmersdale]] and [[Ormskirk]]. 

The north of the county is predominantly rural and sparsely populated, except for the city of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] and the towns of [[Morecambe]] and [[Heysham]], the three of which form a large conurbation of almost 100,000 people. Lancashire is home to a significant [[British Asian|Asian]] population, numbering over 70,000 and 6% of the county's population, and concentrated largely in the former cotton mill towns in the south east.
{{historical populations|align=none|shading=off|percentages=pagr|cols=3
| title = Population totals within the post-1998 boundaries of the non-metropolitan county
|  1801 |  163,310
|  1811 |  192,283
|  1821 |  236,724
|  1831 |  261,710
|  1841 |  289,925
|  1851 |  313,957
|  1861 |  419,412
|  1871 |  524,869
|  1881 |  630,323
|  1891 |  736,233
|  1901 |  798,545
|  1911 |  873,210
|  1921 |  886,114
|  1931 |  902,965
|  1941 |  922,812
|  1951 |  948,592
|  1961 |  991,648
|  1971 |  1,049,013
|  1981 |  1,076,146
|  1991 |  1,122,097
|  2001 |  1,134,976
|  2011 | 1,171,339
|  footnote = Pre-1998 statistics were gathered from local government areas that now comprise the non-metropolitan county<br />''Source: [[Great Britain Historical GIS]].''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TOT_POP&u_id=10097848&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Lancashire Modern (post 1974) County: Total Population|author=A Vision of Britain through time|access-date=10 January 2010|author-link=A Vision of Britain through Time|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615005052/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TOT_POP&u_id=10097848&c_id=10001043&add=N|archive-date=15 June 2011|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
}}

==Culture==

=== Symbols ===
{{See also|Flag of Lancashire}}[[File:Lancashire County Flag.svg|thumb|The flag designed to represent Lancashire]]
The [[Red Rose of Lancaster]] is the [[county flower]] found on the county's heraldic badge and flag. The rose was a symbol of the [[House of Lancaster]], immortalised in the verse "In the battle for England's head/[[House of York|York]] was white, Lancaster red" (referring to the 15th-century [[Wars of the Roses]]). 

A flag consisting of a red rose on a gold field was designed by the [[Friends of Real Lancashire]], a pressure group which promotes the historic county, and registered with the [[Flag Institute]], a vexillological charity, in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancashire Flag |url=http://www.forl.co.uk/online-resources/lancashire-flag |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=[[Friends of Real Lancashire]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancashire |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/lancashire-flag/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=[[Flag Institute]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The flag has been flown from public buildings within the historic county boundaries on [[Lancashire Day]] (27 November), including from [[County Hall, Preston|County Hall]] in [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moffatt |first=Andy |date=27 November 2022 |title=Lancashire Day: council council's chairman hails "friendliness and community spirit" of the Red Rose county |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/people/lancashire-day-council-councils-chairman-hails-friendliness-and-community-spirit-of-the-red-rose-county-3932280 |work=Lancashire Post}}</ref> [[St Helens Town Hall]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-27 |title=Red Rose flag flies as St Helens celebrates Lancashire Day |url=https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/14108004.red-rose-flag-flies-as-st-helens-celebrates-lancashire-day/ |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=St Helens Star |language=en}}</ref> and in parts of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham]] which were previously in Lancashire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-16 |title=Flag flying policy {{!}} Oldham Council |url=https://www.oldham.gov.uk/homepage/1251/flag_flying_policy |access-date=2024-06-12 |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816135812/https://www.oldham.gov.uk/homepage/1251/flag_flying_policy |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-30 |title=Surprise after council does not fly flag on Lancashire Day |url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/23956689.lancashire-day-surprise-council-not-fly-flag/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=The Oldham Times |language=en}}</ref> It has also been flown from the [[Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities|Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government]] building in London.

An alternative flag consists of a red rose on a white field. This design had already been registered by [[Montrose, Angus|Montrose]] in Scotland.<ref>{{cite news |last=Visser |first=Chris |date=29 July 2008 |title=Lancashire flag is all yellow |url=http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Lancashire-flag-is-all-yellow.4333614.jp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801170733/https://www.lep.co.uk/news/Lancashire-flag-is-all-yellow.4333614.jp |archive-date=1 August 2008 |newspaper=Lancashire Evening Post}}</ref>

=== Sport ===

==== Cricket ====
[[Lancashire County Cricket Club]] has been one of the most successful [[county cricket]] teams, particularly in the [[one-day cricket|one-day]] game. It is home to [[England cricket team]] members [[James Anderson (cricketer)|James Anderson]] and [[Jos Buttler]]. The [[County Ground, Old Trafford]], [[Trafford]], has been the home cricket ground of LCCC since 1864.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lccc.co.uk/index.php?p=contact |title=LCCC contact details |publisher=Lccc.co.uk |date=16 January 2009 |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924003212/http://lccc.co.uk/index.php?p=contact |archive-date=24 September 2010 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Local cricket leagues include the [[Lancashire League (cricket)|Lancashire League]], the [[Central Lancashire League]] and the [[North Lancashire and Cumbria League]].

Since 2000, the designated [[England and Wales Cricket Board|ECB]] [[ECB Premier Leagues|Premier League]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/non-first-class/premier-leagues/premier-leagues,1443,BP.html |title=List of ECB Premier Leagues |publisher=Ecb.co.uk |access-date=25 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015120858/http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/non-first-class/premier-leagues/premier-leagues%2C1443%2CBP.html |archive-date=15 October 2008 }}</ref> for Lancashire has been the [[Liverpool and District Cricket Competition]].

====Football====
[[File:Red Rose Badge of Lancaster.svg|thumb|upright|right|The Red Rose of Lancaster]]
Football in Lancashire is governed by the [[Lancashire County Football Association]] which, like most [[county football association]]s, has boundaries that are aligned roughly with the [[Historic Counties of England|historic counties]]. The [[Manchester Football Association]] and [[Liverpool County Football Association]] respectively operate in [[Greater Manchester]] and [[Merseyside]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchesterfa.com/AboutUs/ |title=Manchester FA &#124; About Us |publisher=Manchesterfa.com |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007185050/http://www.manchesterfa.com/AboutUs/ |archive-date=7 October 2010 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liverpoolfa.com/AboutUs/ |title=Liverpool FA &#124; About Us |publisher=Liverpoolfa.com |access-date=25 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614225956/http://www.liverpoolfa.com/AboutUs/ |archive-date=14 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Lancashire clubs were prominent in the formation of the [[English Football League|Football League]] in 1888, with the league being officially named at a meeting in Manchester.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21492352 |website=BBC Sport |title=One letter, two meetings and 12 teams – the birth of league football |date=26 February 2013 |first=Paul |last=Fletcher |access-date=2018-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015155241/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21492352 |archive-date=15 October 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2016/march/on-this-day-in-1888-the-letter-that-led-to-the-formation-of-the-football-league/ |website=EFL Official Website |title=On this day in 1888: The letter that led to the formation of The Football League |date=2 March 2016 |access-date=2018-08-12}}</ref> Of the twelve founder members of the league, six were from Lancashire: [[Accrington F.C.|Accrington]], [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], and [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]].

The Football League is now based in Preston.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/-more/all-about-the-efl/contact-us/ |title=Contact Us |website=English Football League |access-date=2018-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913185551/https://www.efl.com/-more/all-about-the-efl/contact-us |archive-date=13 September 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The [[National Football Museum]] was founded at [[Deepdale]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] in 2001, but moved to Manchester in 2012.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-18725667|title=Why football museum moved to Manchester|last=Airey|first=Tom|date=2012-07-06|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202100648/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-18725667|archive-date=2 December 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Seven professional full-time teams were based in Lancashire at the start of the 2024–25 season:

* [[Football League Championship|Championship]]: [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] and [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]]
* [[Football League One|League One]]: [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]
* [[Football League Two|League Two]]: [[Accrington Stanley F.C.|Accrington Stanley]], [[Fleetwood Town F.C.|Fleetwood Town]] and [[Morecambe F.C.|Morecambe]]

The county's most prominent football rivalries are the [[East Lancashire derby]] between Blackburn Rovers and Burnley, and the [[West Lancashire derby]] between Blackpool and Preston North End.

A further nine professional full-time teams lie within the historical borders of Lancashire but outside of the current ceremonial county. These include the Premier League clubs [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].

====Rugby league====
{{main|Rugby league in Lancashire}}
Along with Yorkshire and Cumberland, Lancashire is recognised as the heartland of Rugby League. The county has produced many successful top flight clubs such as [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]], [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]], [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]], [[Oldham RLFC|Oldham]], [[Salford Red Devils|Salford]] and [[Widnes Vikings|Widnes]]. The county was once the focal point for many of the sport's professional competitions including the [[Rugby league county leagues|Lancashire League]] competition which ran from 1895 to 1970, and the [[Rugby league county cups|Lancashire County Cup]] which ran until 1993. Rugby League has also seen a representative fixture between [[Rugby League War of the Roses|Lancashire and Yorkshire]] contested 89 times since its inception in 1895.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyleaguehonours.co.uk/roses.html |title=Rugby League Honours – War of the Roses |access-date=15 May 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080930084834/http://www.rugbyleaguehonours.co.uk/roses.html |archive-date=30 September 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In recent times there were several [[rugby league]] teams that are based within the ceremonial county which include [[Blackpool Panthers]], [[East Lancashire Lions]], and [[Blackpool Sea Eagles]].

====Archery====
There are many archery clubs located within Lancashire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lancashire-archery.org.uk/ |title=Archery clubs in Lancashire |publisher=Lancashire-archery.org.uk |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107191535/http://www.lancashire-archery.org.uk/ |archive-date=7 November 2010 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In 2004 Lancashire took the winning title at the Inter-counties championships from [[Yorkshire]] who had held it for 7 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bowmenofskelmersdale.co.uk/ |title=Bowmen of Skelmersdale |publisher=Bowmen of Skelmersdale |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615025522/http://www.bowmenofskelmersdale.co.uk/ |archive-date=15 June 2011 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

====Wrestling====
Lancashire has a centuries-long history of combat sports and wrestling, developing its own style called [[Lancashire wrestling]], and becoming a breeding ground for many of Britain's best amateur and professional wrestlers.<ref>{{cite web |title=The summary on Lancashire wrestling by Ruslan C Pashayev, based on his book "The Story of Catch" (2019) |url=https://www.traditionalsports.org/traditional-sports/europe/lancashire-wrestling-england.html |website=Traditionasports.org |access-date=30 November 2023}}</ref> Through travelling performers and immigration, the style spread abroad to British colonies, Europe, the United States, and other countries. It was a primary influence on [[catch wrestling]] and its descendants including [[freestyle wrestling]], American [[folkstyle wrestling]], theatrical [[professional wrestling]], and [[mixed martial arts]]. It was preserved due to the influence of Lancashire native [[Billy Riley]] and his gym, popularly known as [[The Snake Pit (Wigan)|The Snake Pit]], and students such as [[Karl Gotch]] and [[Billy Robinson]]. It became particularly influential in Japan, where catch wrestling is popularly referred to as "Lancashire style" {{Nihongo|2=ランカシャースタイル}}.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Gould |first=KJ |date=24 November 2011 |title=Interview: The Return of Catch Wrestling's Snake Pit |url=https://bloodyelbow.com/2011/11/24/interview-andrea-wood-return-of-catch-wrestling-snake-pit/ |access-date=5 March 2024 |website=Bloody Elbow |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=U.W.F.スネークピットジャパンの「キャッチ アズ キャッチ キャンとは？」 |url=http://www.uwf-snakepit.com/catch.html |access-date=3 March 2024 |website=uwf-snakepit.com |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=ランカシャースタイル(らんかしゃーすたいる)とは？ 意味や使い方 |url=https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AB%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB-1435092 |access-date=3 March 2024 |website=[[Kotobank|Kotobank.jp]] |language=ja}}</ref>

===Music===
====Folk music====
Lancashire has a long and highly productive tradition of music making. In the early modern era the county shared in the national tradition of [[ballad]]ry, including perhaps the finest [[border ballad]], "[[The Ballad of Chevy Chase]]", thought to have been composed by the Lancashire-born minstrel Richard Sheale.<ref name="Gregory2006"/> The county was also a common location for [[folk song]]s, including "The Lancashire Miller", "Warrington Ale" and "The soldier's farewell to Manchester", while Liverpool, as a major seaport, was the subject of many [[sea shanties]], including "[[The Leaving of Liverpool]]" and "[[Maggie May (traditional song)|Maggie May]]",<ref>J. Shepherd, D. Horn, and D. Laing, ''Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World'' (London: Continuum, 2003), {{ISBN|0-8264-7436-5}}, p. 360</ref> beside several local [[Wassailing]] songs.<ref name="Gregory2006">D. Gregory, ''The Songs of the People for Me'': The Victorian Rediscovery of Lancashire Vernacular Song', ''Canadian Folk Music/Musique folklorique canadienne'', 40 (2006), pp.&nbsp;12–21</ref> In the [[Industrial Revolution]] changing social and economic patterns helped create new traditions and styles of folk song, often linked to migration and patterns of work.<ref name=Lancsfolk/> These included processional dances, often associated with rushbearing or the [[Wakes Week]] festivities, and types of [[step dance]], most famously [[clog dancing]].<ref name=Lancsfolk>''Lancashire Folk'', http://www.lancashirefolk.co.uk/Morris_Information.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310014202/http://www.lancashirefolk.co.uk/Morris_Information.htm |date=10 March 2010 }}, retrieved 16 February 2009</ref><ref name="Boyes1993">G. Boyes, ''The Imagined Village: Culture, Ideology, and the English Folk Revival'' (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1993), 0-71902-914-7, p. 214</ref>

A local pioneer of folk song collection in the first half of the 19th century was Shakespearean scholar [[James Orchard Halliwell]],<ref>E. D. Gregory, ''Victorian Songhunters: the Recovery and Editing of English Vernacular Ballads and Folk Lyrics, 1820–1883'' (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2006), {{ISBN|0-8108-5703-0}}, p. 248</ref> but it was not until the second [[folk revival]] in the 20th century that the full range of song from the county, including [[industrial folk song]], began to gain attention.<ref name="Boyes1993"/> The county produced one of the major figures of the revival in [[Ewan MacColl]], but also a local champion in [[Harry Boardman]], who from 1965 onwards probably did more than anyone to popularise and record the folk song of the county.<ref>''Folk North West'', {{cite web|url=http://www.folknorthwest.co.uk/harry_boardman.htm |title=Harry Boardman |access-date=2009-02-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212123824/http://folknorthwest.co.uk/harry_boardman.htm |archive-date=12 February 2009 }}, retrieved 16 February 2009</ref> Perhaps the most influential folk artists to emerge from the region in the late 20th century were Liverpool folk group [[The Spinners (UK band)|the Spinners]], and from Manchester folk troubadour [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]] and musician, comedian and broadcaster [[Mike Harding]].<ref name=Frame1999/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dirtylinen.com/feature/50harper.html|title=Roy Harper|date=February–March 1994 |work=Dirty Linen |first1=John C. |last1=Falstaff |access-date=4 November 2018|archive-date=21 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021215750/http://www.dirtylinen.com/feature/50harper.html|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>S. Broughton, M. Ellingham and R. Trillo, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=gyiTOcnb2yYC&pg=PA67 World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East]'' (Rough Guides, 1999), {{ISBN|1-85828-635-2}}, p. 67</ref> The region is home to numerous [[folk clubs]], many of them catering to [[Irish folk music|Irish]] and [[Scottish folk music]]. Regular [[folk festival]]s include the Fylde Folk Festival at [[Fleetwood]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.folkandroots.co.uk/festivals.html |title=2009 Folk Festivals – Britain |website=Folk and Roots |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224075454/http://www.folkandroots.co.uk/festivals.html |archive-date=24 February 2009 |access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref>

====Classical music====
Lancashire had a lively culture of choral and [[classical music]], with very large numbers of local church [[choir]]s from the 17th century,<ref>R. Cowgill and P. Holman, ''Music in the British Provinces, 1690–1914'' (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2007), {{ISBN|0-7546-3160-5}}, p. 207</ref> leading to the foundation of local choral societies from the mid-18th century, often particularly focused on performances of the music of [[Handel]] and his contemporaries.<ref>R. Southey, ''Music-Making in North-East England During the Eighteenth Century'' (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, 2006), {{ISBN|0-7546-5097-9}}, pp.&nbsp;131–2</ref> It also played a major part in the development of [[Brass band (British style)|brass band]]s which emerged in the county, particularly in the textile and coalfield areas, in the 19th century.<ref>D. Russell, ''Popular Music in England, 1840–1914: a Social History'' (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1987), {{ISBN|0-7190-2361-0}}, p. 163</ref> The first open competition for brass bands was held at Manchester in 1853, and continued annually until the 1980s.<ref>A. Baines, ''The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), {{ISBN|0-19-311334-1}}, p. 41</ref> 

The vibrant brass band culture of the area made an important contribution to the foundation and staffing of the [[The Hallé|Hallé Orchestra]] from 1857, the oldest extant professional orchestra in the United Kingdom.<ref>D. Russell, ''Popular Music in England, 1840–1914: a Social History'' (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1987), {{ISBN|0-7190-2361-0}}, p. 230</ref> The same local musical tradition produced eminent figures such as Sir [[William Walton]] (1902–88), son of an Oldham choirmaster and music teacher,<ref>D. Clark and J. Staines, ''Rough Guide to Classical Music'' (Rough Guides, 3rd edn., 2001), {{ISBN|1-85828-721-9}}, p. 568</ref> Sir [[Thomas Beecham]] (1879–1961), born in St. Helens, who began his career by conducting local orchestras<ref>L. Jenkins, ''While Spring and Summer Sang: Thomas Beecham and the Music of Frederick Delius'' (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, 2005), {{ISBN|0-7546-0721-6}}, p. 1</ref> and [[Alan Rawsthorne]] (1905–71) born in Haslingden.<ref>J. McCabe, ''Alan Rawsthorne: Portrait of a Composer'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), {{ISBN|0-19-816693-1}}</ref> The conductor [[David Atherton]], co-founder of the [[London Sinfonietta]], was born in Blackpool in 1944.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thebiography.us/en/atherton-david|title=Biography of David Atherton <small>(1944-VVVV)</small>|work=thebiography.us|access-date=26 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226232715/http://thebiography.us/en/atherton-david|archive-date=26 February 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Lancashire also produced more populist figures, such as early [[musical theatre]] composer [[Leslie Stuart]] (1863–1928), born in Southport, who began his musical career as organist of [[Salford Cathedral]].<ref>A. Lamb, ''Leslie Stuart: Composer of Floradora'' (London: Routledge, 2002), {{ISBN|0-415-93747-7}}</ref>

More recent Lancashire-born composers include [[Hugh Wood]] (1932– Parbold),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/long-bio/hugh-wood|title=Hugh Wood|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113134237/http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/long-bio/hugh-wood|archive-date=13 November 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Sir [[Peter Maxwell Davies]] (1934–2016, Salford),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/19/classicalmusicandopera.proms2004|title=Profile: Peter Maxwell Davies|author=Stephen Moss|work=The Guardian|date=19 June 2004|access-date=15 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305010600/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/19/classicalmusicandopera.proms2004|archive-date=5 March 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Sir [[Harrison Birtwistle]] (1934–2022, Accrington),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?composerid=2729&ttype=BIOGRAPHY|title=Harrison Birtwistle|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113132757/http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?composerid=2729&ttype=BIOGRAPHY|archive-date=13 November 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Gordon Crosse]] (1937–, Bury),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nmcrec.co.uk/composer/crosse-gordon|title=Crosse, Gordon – NMC Recordings|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113141511/http://www.nmcrec.co.uk/composer/crosse-gordon|archive-date=13 November 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[John McCabe (composer)|John McCabe]] (1939–2015, Huyton),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnmccabe.com/biography.htm|title=John McCabe – biography|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115113314/http://www.johnmccabe.com/biography.htm|archive-date=15 January 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Roger Smalley]] (1943–2015, Swinton), [[Nigel Osborne]] (1948–, Manchester), [[Steve Martland]] (1954–2013, Liverpool),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/featured/steve-martland/index.html|title=Schott Music – Steve Martland – Profile|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120071913/http://www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/featured/steve-martland/index.html|archive-date=20 November 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Simon Holt]] (1958–, Bolton)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/short-bio/simon-holt|title=Simon Holt|work=musicsalesclassical.com|access-date=8 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206081945/http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/short-bio/Simon-Holt|archive-date=6 February 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and [[Philip Cashian]] (1963–, Manchester).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philipcashian.com/biography|title=Philip Cashian – Biography|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113123738/http://www.philipcashian.com/biography|archive-date=13 November 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
The [[Royal Manchester College of Music]] was founded in 1893 to provide a northern counterpart to the London musical colleges. It merged with the Northern College of Music (formed in 1920) to form the Royal Northern College of Music in 1972.<ref>M. Kennedy, ''The History of the Royal Manchester College of Music, 1893–1972'' (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1971), {{ISBN|0-7190-0435-7}}</ref>

====Popular music====
[[File:The Beatles members at New York City in 1964.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Beatles]] began in Liverpool before the city's county was changed from Lancashire to [[Merseyside]]]]
[[Liverpool]], both during its time in Lancashire and after being moved to the new county of [[Merseyside]], has produced a number of successful musicians. This includes pop stars such as [[Frankie Vaughan]] and [[Lita Roza]], as well as rock stars such as [[Billy Fury]], who is considered to be one of the most successful [[British rock|British rock and roll]] stars of all time.<ref name=Frame1999>P. Frame, ''Pete Frame's Rockin' Around Britain: Rock'n'Roll Landmarks of the UK and Ireland'' (London: Music Sales Group, 1999), {{ISBN|0-7119-6973-6}}, pp.&nbsp;72–6</ref> Many Lancashire towns had vibrant [[skiffle]] scenes in the late 1950s, out of which a culture of [[Beat (music)|beat]] groups emerged by the early 1960s, particularly around Liverpool and [[Manchester]]. It has been estimated that there were at least 350 bands—including [[the Beatles]]—active in and around Liverpool during this era, playing ballrooms, concert halls, and clubs.<ref>A. H. Goldman, ''The Lives of John Lennon'' (A Capella, 2001), {{ISBN|1-55652-399-8}}, p. 92</ref> A number of Liverpool performers followed the Beatles into the charts, including [[Gerry & the Pacemakers]], [[The Searchers (band)|the Searchers]], and [[Cilla Black]].

The first musicians to break through in the UK who were not from Liverpool or managed by Beatles manager [[Brian Epstein]] were Manchester's [[Freddie and the Dreamers]],<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/20/ufreddie.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/05/20/ixnews.html {{"'}}Dreamers' star Freddie Garrity dies"]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''Daily Telegraph'', 20 May 2006. Retrieved 1 August 2007</ref> with [[Herman's Hermits]] and [[the Hollies]] also hailing from Manchester.<ref>V. Bogdanov, C. Woodstra and S. T. Erlewine, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=1-pH4i3jXvAC&pg=PA532 All Music Guide to Rock: the Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop and Soul]'' (Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 3rd edn., 2002), {{ISBN|0-87930-653-X}}, p. 532</ref> The Beatles led a movement by various beat groups from the region which culminated in the [[British Invasion]] of the US, which in turn made a major contribution to the development of modern [[rock music]].<ref name=Bogdanov2002BI>V. Bogdanov, C. Woodstra and S. T. Erlewine, ''All Music Guide to Rock: the Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul'' (Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 3rd edn., 2002), {{ISBN|0-87930-653-X}}, pp.&nbsp;1316–7</ref> After the decline of beat groups in the late 1960s, the centre of rock culture shifted to London, and there were relatively few Lancashire bands who achieved national prominence until the growth of a [[disco]] scene and the [[punk rock]] revolution in the mid-and-late 1970s.<ref>S. Cohen, ''Rock Culture in Liverpool: Popular Music in the Making'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991), {{ISBN|0-19-816178-6}}, p. 14</ref>

The towns of [[Accrington]], [[Burnley]], [[Chorley]], [[Clitheroe]], [[Colne]], [[Lytham St Annes]], [[Morecambe]], [[Nelson, Lancashire|Nelson]], [[Ormskirk]] and [[Skelmersdale]] as well as the cities of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] and [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] are referenced in the 1991 song, "[[It's Grim Up North]]" by the band [[the KLF]].

===Cuisine===
[[File:Lancashire hotpot.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lancashire hotpot]]]]
[[File:Lancashire cheese.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lancashire cheese]]]]
{{sources|section|date=October 2022}}

Lancashire is the origin of the [[Lancashire hotpot]], a [[casserole]] dish traditionally made with [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]]. Other traditional foods from the area include:

* [[Black peas]], also known as parched peas: popular in [[Darwen]], [[Bolton]] and [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]].
* Bury [[black pudding]] has long been associated with the county. The most notable brand, Chadwick's Original Bury Black Puddings, are still sold on [[Bury Market]],<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article1080357.ece | title= Food detective: Bury black pudding | first= Sheila | last= Keating | newspaper= [[The Times]] | date= 11 June 2005 | access-date= 14 October 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110614235443/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article1080357.ece | archive-date= 14 June 2011 | url-status= dead | df= dmy-all }}</ref> and are manufactured in [[Rossendale Valley|Rossendale]].
* Butter cake: slice of bread and butter.
* [[Butter pie]]: a savoury pie containing potatoes, onion and butter. Usually associated with [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]].
* Clapbread: a thin [[Staffordshire oatcake|oatcake]] made from unleavened dough cooked on a griddle.
* [[Chorley cake]]s: from the town of [[Chorley]].
* [[Eccles cake]]s are small, round cakes filled with currants and made from flaky pastry with butter, originally made in Eccles.
* Fag pie: pie made from chopped dried figs, sugar and lard. Associated with [[Blackburn]] and [[Burnley]], where it was the highlight of ''Fag Pie Sunday'' ([[Lent|Mid-Lent Sunday]]).
* [[Fish and chips]]: the first fish and chip shop in northern England opened in [[Mossley]], near Oldham, around 1863.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.niagara.co.uk/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327221624/http://www.niagara.co.uk/fish_and_chips.htm|url-status=dead|title=Niagara.co.uk|archive-date=27 March 2010|website=Niagara.co.uk}}</ref>
* Frog-i'-th'-'ole pudding: now known as "[[toad in the hole]]"
* [[Frumenty]]: sweet porridge. Once a popular dish at Lancashire festivals, such as Christmas and Easter Monday.
* [[Goosnargh]] cakes: small flat [[shortbread]] biscuits with coriander or [[caraway]] seeds pressed into the biscuit before baking.<ref>Sudi Pigott (30 May 2013), [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/goosnagh-cake-sea-lavender-honey-medlar-butter-forgotten-foods-making-a-comeback-8638530.html Goosnagh cake, sea lavender honey, medlar butter – forgotten foods making a comeback] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504011507/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/goosnagh-cake-sea-lavender-honey-medlar-butter-forgotten-foods-making-a-comeback-8638530.html |date=4 May 2018 }}, ''The Independent'', accessed 3 May 2018</ref> Traditionally baked on feast days like [[Shrove Tuesday]].
* Jannock: cake or small loaf of oatmeal. Allegedly introduced to Lancashire (possibly [[Bolton]]) by [[Weaver (occupation)|weavers]] of [[Flemish people|Flemish]] origin.
* [[Lancashire cheese]] has been made in the county for several centuries.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.lancashirecheese.com/history.htm | publisher= Lancashire Cheese Makers | title= Lancashire Cheese History | access-date= 14 October 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090828155652/http://www.lancashirecheese.com/history.htm | archive-date= 28 August 2009 | url-status= usurped | df= dmy-all }}</ref> [[Beacon Fell Traditional Lancashire Cheese]] has been awarded EU [[Protected Designation of Origin]] (PDO) status.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/industry/regional/foodname/products/registered/beacon.htm | publisher= [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] | title= EU Protected Food Names Scheme: Beacon Fell traditional Lancashire cheese | access-date= 14 October 2009 | url-status= dead | archive-url= http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20091106090654/http%3A//www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/industry/regional/foodname/products/registered/beacon.htm | archive-date= 6 November 2009 | df= dmy-all }}</ref>
* Lancashire Flat Cake: A lemon flavoured sponge cake, traditionally made with a couple too many eggs, best eaten after being chilled.
* [[Lancashire oatcake]], resembling a large oval pancake, eaten either moist or dried
* Lancashire Sauce, a lightly spiced mustard produced by the Entwistle family of Bury
* "Stew and hard": a beef and cowheel stew with dried Lancashire oatcake
* Nettle porridge: a common starvation diet in Lancashire in the early 19th century. Made from boiled stinging nettles and sometimes a handful of meal.
* [[Ormskirk]] gingerbread: local delicacy that was sold throughout South Lancashire.
* [[Parkin (cake)|Parkin]]: a ginger cake with oatmeal.
* Pobs or pobbies: bread and milk.
* Potato hotpot: a variation of the Lancashire Hotpot without meat that is also known as ''fatherless pie''.
* Ran Dan: barley bread. A last resort for the poor at the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century.
* [[Rag pudding]]: traditional [[suet pudding]] filled with minced meat, originating in [[Oldham]].
* [[Throdkins]]: a traditional breakfast food of [[the Fylde]].
* [[Uncle Joe's Mint Balls]]: traditional [[Mints (candy)|mint]]s produced by William Santus & Co. Ltd. in [[Wigan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Uncle Joe's Mint Balls|url=http://www.uncle-joes.com/sweet-shop/uncle-joes-mint-balls|work=Uncle Joe's Favourites|publisher=Wm Santus & Co. Ltd|access-date=14 August 2013|year=2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827034529/http://www.uncle-joes.com/sweet-shop/uncle-joes-mint-balls|archive-date=27 August 2013|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Cinema===
''[[Whistle Down the Wind (film)|Whistle Down the Wind]]'' (1961) was directed by Bryan Forbes, set at the foot of Worsaw Hill and in [[Burnley]], and starred local Lancashire schoolchildren.

The tunnel scene was shot on the old Bacup-Rochdale railway line, location 53°41'29.65"N, 2°11'25.18"W, off the A6066 (New Line) where the line passes beneath Stack Lane. The tunnel is still there, in use as an industrial unit but the railway has long since been removed.

''[[Funny Bones]]'' (1995) was set mostly in Blackpool, after opening scenes in Las Vegas.

== Media ==
=== Television === 
The county is covered by [[BBC North West]] and [[ITV Granada]] which broadcast from [[Salford]]. Television signals are received from the [[Winter Hill transmitting station|Winter Hill TV transmitter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |title=Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=25 February 2024}}</ref> A small part of East Lancashire around [[Barnoldswick]] and [[Earby]] is served by [[BBC Yorkshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]] broadcasting from [[Leeds]]. This area is served by a local transmitter in [[Skipton]] which is relayed from the [[Emley Moor transmitting station|Emley Moor TV transmitter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Skipton|title=Skipton (North Yorkshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>

=== Radio ===
[[BBC Local Radio]] for the county is served by [[BBC Radio Lancashire]] which broadcast from its studios in [[Blackburn]], [[BBC Radio Merseyside]] can be heard in southern parts, [[BBC Radio Manchester]] in the east and [[BBC Radio Cumbria]] in the north. County-wide commercial stations are [[Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire]], [[Capital Manchester and Lancashire]], [[Heart North West]], and [[Smooth North West]]. Community based stations are [[Beyond Radio]] (covering northwestern Lancashire), [[Pendle Community Radio]] (serving the [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]] area), [[Rossendale Radio]] (for [[Borough of Rossendale|Rossendale]]), and [[Central Radio (Lancashire)|Central Radio]] (for [[The Fylde]], [[City of Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], Leyland and Chorley areas of Lancashire).{{cn|date=September 2024}}

=== Newspapers ===
The county is served by these local newspapers:
*''[[Lancashire Telegraph]]'' (daily, East Lancashire, published in Blackburn)
*''[[Lancashire Evening Post]]'' (daily, Central and Northern Lancashire, published in Fulwood, Preston)
*''[[Accrington Observer]]'' (weekly)
*''[[Blackpool Gazette]]'' (daily)
*''[[Burnley Express]]'' (twice weekly)
*''[[Clitheroe Advertiser and Times]]'' (weekly)
*''[[Fleetwood Weekly News]]''
*''[[Lytham St Annes Express]]'' (weekly)
*''[[Nelson Leader]]'' (weekly)
*''[[Pendle Express]]'' (weekly)
*''[[Rossendale Free Press]]'' (weekly)
*''[[The Visitor (newspaper)|The Visitor]]'' (weekly, published in Morecambe)

The national weekly ''[[Farmers Guardian]]'' is published in Fulwood, Preston.

==Places of interest==
{{EngPlacesKey|align=right}}
The following are places of interest in the ceremonial county:
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* [[Arnside and Silverdale AONB]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Astley Hall (Chorley)|Astley Hall]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]]
* [[Avenham Park]] and [[Miller Park]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
* [[Bank Hall]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]]
* [[Beacon Fell Country Park, Lancashire|Beacon Fell]] [[File:CP icon.png|Country park]]
* [[Blackburn Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px|Cathedral]]
* [[Blackpool Pleasure Beach]] [[File:Themepark uk icon.png|15px|Theme Park]]
* [[Blackpool Tower]]
* [[Blackpool Zoo]]
* [[British Commercial Vehicle Museum]], [[Leyland, Lancashire|Leyland]]
* [[Brockholes (nature reserve)]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
* [[Camelot Theme Park]] [[File:Themepark uk icon.png|15px|Theme Park]]
* [[Clitheroe Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]]
* [[Darwen Tower]]
* [[East Lancashire Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Forest of Bowland]]: [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Gawthorpe Hall]], [[Padiham]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.png|National Trust]]
* [[Harris Museum]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Helmshore Mills Textile Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Hoghton Tower]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]]
* [[Irwell Sculpture Trail]]
* [[Lancashire Infantry Museum]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Lancaster Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]]
* [[Lancaster Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px|Cathedral]]
* Lathom Park Chapel[[File:AP Icon.svg|16px|Capel]], site of [[Lathom House]], seat of the [[Earls of Derby]]
* [[Lytham Hall]]
* [[RSPB Leighton Moss|Leighton Moss]] [[nature reserve]], [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]]
* [[WWT Martin Mere|Martin Mere]], [[Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust]] nature reserve, [[Burscough]]
* [[Morecambe Bay]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Museum of Lancashire]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[Pendle Hill]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* The [[Pennines]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Preston Dock]]
* [[Ribble Steam Railway]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Rivington Pike]]
* [[Rufford Old Hall]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.png|National Trust]]
* [[Samlesbury Hall]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]]
* [[St Mary's Church, Fernyhalgh]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and the [[Ladyewell Shrine]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px|Church]]
* [[St Walburge's Church]], [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px|Church]]
* [[Stonyhurst College]] – manor house dating from 1592, now a [[Jesuit]] public school
* [[Towneley Hall]], [[Burnley]] [[File:HH icon.png|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon.png|Museum]]
* [[Queen Street Mill]], [[Burnley]] [[File:Museum icon.png|Museum]]
* [[West Lancashire Light Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[West Pennine Moors]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Williamson Park]] and the [[Ashton Memorial]]
* [[Witton Country Park]] [[File:CP icon.png|Country park]]
* [[Yarrow Valley Park]] [[File:CP icon.png|Country park]]
* [[White Coppice]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
* [[Haigh Hall]] [[File:HH_icon.svg]]
}}

===Gallery===
{{gallery|align=center|width=200
|File:Ashton Memorial from below.jpg|[[Ashton Memorial]], Lancaster
|File:Gawthorpe Hall 2016 008.jpg|[[Gawthorpe Hall]], [[Burnley]], an Elizabethan country house.
|File:Blackpool Tower 05082017 (cropped).jpg|[[Blackpool Tower]], completed in 1894
|File:Clitheroe Castle.JPG|[[Clitheroe Castle]]
|File:Rivington Pike Tower - geograph.org.uk - 2959955.jpg|[[Rivington Pike]], near [[Horwich]], atop the [[West Pennine Moors]], is one of the most popular walking destinations in the county; on a clear day the whole of the county can be viewed from here.
|File:Queen Street Mill - Weaving Shed - geograph.org.uk - 528579.jpg|[[Queen Street Mill]], the world's only surviving steam-driven cotton weaving shed, located in [[Burnley]]
}}

==See also==
{{portal|Lancashire|North West England}}
{{div col}}
* [[Custos Rotulorum of Lancashire]] – Keepers of the Rolls
* [[Duke of Lancaster's Regiment]] – Infantry regiment traditionally recruited in district
* [[Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire]]
* [[Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire]]
* [[Healthcare in Lancashire]]
* [[High Sheriff of Lancashire]]
* [[Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)]] – Historical list of MPs for Lancashire constituency
* [[Lancashire dialect]]
* [[Lancashire Constabulary]]
* [[Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner]]
* [[List of collieries in Lancashire since 1854]]
* [[List of mining disasters in Lancashire]]
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire]]
* [[Roses rivalry]] 
* [[Scheduled monuments in Lancashire]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Crosby, A. (1996). ''A History of Cheshire''. The Darwen County History Series. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Phillimore & Co. Ltd. {{ISBN|0-85033-932-4}}.
* Harris, B. E., and Thacker, A. T. (1987). ''The Victoria History of the County of Chester''. Volume 1: ''Physique, Prehistory, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Domesday''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-722761-9}}.
* Morgan, P. (1978). ''Domesday Book Cheshire: Including Lancashire, Cumbria, and North Wales''. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co. Ltd. {{ISBN|0-85033-140-4}}.
* Phillips A. D. M., and Phillips, C. B. (2002). ''A New Historical Atlas of Cheshire''. Chester, UK: Cheshire County Council and Cheshire Community Council Publications Trust. {{ISBN|0-904532-46-1}}.
* Sylvester, D. (1980). ''A History of Cheshire'' (2nd ed.). The Darwen County History Series. London and Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co. Ltd. {{ISBN|0-85033-384-9}}.

==Further reading==
* Farrer and Brownbill (1906). ''The [[Victoria County History|Victoria History]] of the County of Lancaster'' [https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo01farruoft Vol. 1]; [https://archive.org/details/cu31924088434547 Vol. 2] (1908); [https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo03farruoft Vol. 3] (1907); [https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo04farruoft Vol. 4] (1911); [https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo05farruoft Vol. 5] (1911); [https://archive.org/details/cu31924088434620 Vol. 6] (1911); [https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo07farruoft Vol. 7] (1911); London: Constable.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Lancashire}}
{{EB1911 poster|Lancashire}}
* [http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/ Lancashire On Line Parish Clerk] an active project to transcribe and publish records of Births, Marriages and Deaths in Lancashire from the time records began in Edward VI's reign
* ''[[:gutenberg:15271|Traditions of Lancashire]]'', Volume 1 (of 2), by John Roby
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060929013520/http://www.lantern.lancashire.gov.uk/index.html Lancashire Lantern], The Lancashire Life and Times E-Resource network
* [http://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/calmview/ Lancashire Archives' online catalogue] – over 1&nbsp;million descriptions of unique historical documents, accessible to the public, which tell the county's story
* [http://www.riverhorse.tv/CATCH Website of the film ''Catch – the hold not taken'', a look at the cultural significance of wrestling in Lancashire]
* [http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/ Lancashire County Council] – MARIO (Mapping portal)
* [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/Minimap.do? Map of Lancashire]; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817021508/http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/Minimap.do |date=17 August 2007 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080907013401/http://www.gos.gov.uk/gonw Government Office for the North West]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081024031744/http://www.gos.gov.uk/gonw/OurRegion/584397/?a=42496 North West Regional Minister]
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=LANCASHIRE&district=&placeName= Images of Lancashire]; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105152027/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=LANCASHIRE&district=&placeName= |date=5 January 2013 }} at the [[English Heritage Archive]]
* [http://www.lancashirelep.co.uk/invest-in-lancashire/enterprise-zone.aspx Lancashire Enterprise Zone]; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150313012951/http://www.lancashirelep.co.uk/invest-in-lancashire/enterprise-zone.aspx |date=13 March 2015 }}

{{Lancashire}}
{{NW England}}
{{England counties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lancashire| ]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in 1182]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:North West England]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the United Kingdom]]