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