Preston is one of the oldest boroughs in the country, dating back to around 670AD.
Originally called "Priests Town", it was granted the right to hold a Guild Merchant in 1179 by Henry II.
It is not known why it took so long between the charter being granted
and the first Guild to be held in 1328.
The Guild was originally formed to look after the interests of local traders, merchants and craftsmen.
It worked in much the same way as we would nowadays call "a closed shop" in that only members of the Guild could carry out craft or business in Preston.
Their names would be put on the Guild roll, and there are records of these names going back to the first Guild.
They would then take part in a public ceremony, swearing allegiance to the Mayor.
This is one of the reasons why the Mayor and Mayoress are often displayed prominently on many commemorative pieces.
At first the Guilds were sporadic, but it became obvious that a Guild was needed once in every generation
for father to pass on membership to son.
From 1542 the Guild was held once every twenty years, and this remained remarkably consistent until 1942, when the sequence had to be interrupted for the first time in 400 years due to the Second World War.
Since the 1500's the rule has been that the Guild Merchant should commence on the Saturday following the Feast of Decollation (beheading) of St.John the Baptist on 29th August.
By the 18th century the Guild lost its importance as a regulator of trade,
and although the ceremonies and traditions are still followed, the Guild nowadays is a wonderful, vibrant and multicultural celebration for the North West.
| 1822 1842 |
1862 1882 |
1902 | 1922 | 1952 | 1972 | 1992 |