The Preston Guild: A Centuries-Long Tradition in the Heart of Lancashire

There is hardly anyone who has ever visited Lancashire and not learned at least a tiny bit about the Preston Guild. This is a week full of vibrant celebrations that happens every 20 years in the city of Preston, Lancashire to celebrate the local trades and not only. The event has natives and tourists flock to the country’s administrative centre to experience the authentic spirit and discover what has changed in recent years.

The History of the Preston Guild

The Preston Guild fair dates as far back as 1179. Since 1542, it started taking place every 20 years. The only exception was in 1942 due to the war. However, after World War II was over, the fair was moved to 1952, and the tradition continued.

The original goal of the event was to promote the town’s traders, who formed a business union called “The Burgesses.” Nowadays, the festival has evolved to celebrate Preston in its full beauty. Not only is the Guild a business event but it also showcases the local culture, education, history, arts, and professions of all sorts.

The Burgesses

The Preston Guild was established once King Henry II granted the town a royal charter in 1179. The Guild Merchant members, also known as the Burgesses, were the only traders allowed to operate within Preston. They swore loyalty to the Mayor and the Preston Guild and had to undergo regular renewal procedures to continue their licenses. Of course, they also had to pay an annual fee to be part of the union. Later on, it was decided that the membership gatherings should take place once in a generation and since 1542, the Preston Guild Fair was scheduled to happen every 20 years.

The Preston Guild Official Timing

The last Preston Guild fair was held in 2012 and the next one is due in 2032. The event’s schedule has followed the exact same order since 1562. The Guild Court must open on the Monday after the feast of the decollation of St. John the Baptist – a religious holiday that takes place on August 29.

A jolly medieval tradition, the so-called “proclamations,” then occurs on the three consecutive Saturdays before the prime festivities. The proclamations gather a crowd at the Market Square to announce the upcoming Guild fair and invite the audience to participate. The week is filled with all kinds of exciting events, such as the Torchlight Procession, a video of which you can see below:

The Guild Court

The gathering of the Guild Court is the most important event of the entire week of festivities. The traditional ceremony follows a strict order established back in the Middle Ages. In short, the event proceeds in the following manner: The Guild Mayor and Mayoress arrive at the Town Hall to be greeted by distinguished community members, as the other guests and representatives take their places. Meanwhile, at 10 am, a civic procession heads from the Preston Town Hall to the Guild Hall.

During the event, the already-admitted burgesses renew their licenses, and the new hereditary Guild Members are admitted. The new honorary Guild members are admitted during the formal adjournment of the Court, which happens on Saturday. Nowadays, all kinds of prominent individuals can become honorary members as long as the community nominates them.

The 2012 Preston Guild

The 2012 Preston Guild has been the most spectacular so far. The event went far beyond the trade and business community to include virtually every aspect of life in the busy Lancashire city. The programme of the 2012 Preston Guild was so full that the celebrations actually lasted 10 days. The main events took place at the city’s Avenham Park and featured all sorts of happenings, including a performance of Spain’s opera star Jose Carreras and an indie and rock music concert.

With the bar set so high, Lancashire and the rest of the UK are eagerly looking forward to the 2032 edition of the Preston Guild. The city is quickly developing with new businesses and activities emerging all the time. The local diversity is expanding in every way, which in and of itself is a reason to celebrate.

Interesting Facts about the Preston Guild

Being a widely popular event with a long history, the Preston Guild has quite a few interesting facts surrounding it.

• Fact 1: “It only happens every Preston Guild” is a common Lancashire expression, which refers to something that happens rarely. The rationale behind its origin lies in the fact that the Preston Guild only occurs every 20 years.
• Fact 2: There is a flower named after the Preston Guild. It is a sort of fuchsia with white sepals and a purple/blue corolla. The Preston Guild fuchsia is a beautiful, sturdy flower, which makes a perfect garden plant.
• Fact 3: In 1992, for the first time in history, the daughters of the existing burgesses were admitted to the Guild.
• Fact 4: The 1952 Guild established the tradition to send “scrolls of friendship” to the biggest cities in Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The goal is to collect messages from Prestonian expats. The letters are passed on to the Mayor during the Preston Guild opening ceremony.