City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston, or simply Preston (/ˈprɛstən/ ⓘ), is a local government district with city status in Lancashire, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Ribble and has a population of 147,617 (2021). The neighbouring districts are Ribble Valley, South Ribble, Fylde and Wyre.
City of Preston | |
|---|---|
City & Non-metropolitan district | |
| Preston | |
Miller Park in Preston | |
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Coat of Arms of the City Council | |
| Motto: Prince of Peace (Princeps Pacis) | |
Shown within Lancashire and England | |
City of Preston Shown within England | |
| Coordinates: 53°45′N 2°42′W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | North West England |
| County | Lancashire |
| Guild Merchant charter | 1179 |
| City status | 2002 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district |
| • Local Authority | Preston City Council |
| • Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
| • MPs: | Mark Hendrick (Lab), Ben Wallace (Con), Mark Menzies (Con) |
| Area | |
| • City & Non-metropolitan district | 54.9 sq mi (142.3 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 873 ft (266 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • City & Non-metropolitan district | 147,617 (Ranked 148th) |
| • Density | 2,690/sq mi (1,037/km2) |
| • Urban | 365,000 (Central Lancashire) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
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| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| Postcode | PR1–PR4 |
| Area code(s) | 01772, 01995 |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-LAN |
| ONS code | 30UK (ONS) E07000123 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SD535295 |
| Demonym | Prestonian |
The district is named after its largest settlement, Preston, which lies in the south of the district. The district also includes rural areas to the north of the main urban area, including part of the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In 2002 the district was granted city status to mark the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II; prior to this it was known as the Borough of Preston, having held borough status since its creation in 1974.