Preston

The gateway to Lancashire, Preston is England's newest city and is home to the fifth biggest University in the UK, the oldest football club in the world, Wallace and Gromit and R2D2. Preston has an urban population of around 130,000 and a suburban population of over 300,000. Its population density is rather low, as Preston is surrounded largely by agricultural land rather than housing estates. A small and pretty city, Preston is home to such listed buildings as the Harris Museum & Art Gallery, the Miller Arcade, St. Walburge's Church, the Preston Town Hall, the Lancashire County Council Hall and one of the North's busiest and most important railway stations. Preston also has the second biggest bus station in Western Europe. A stone's throw away from the City centre is Avenham & Miller park; a pleasant, peaceful and quaint space, complete with views of the River Ribble. Preston is a historic and religious city; its name derives from Priest Town. The last battle on English soil took place here, it was the first town outside of London to use gas lighting, the first stretch of motorway was built here, the UK's first KFC still stands on Fishergate, and it is home to the largest man-made Marina in the country as well as the country's highest church spire.