The Jacobites

« The Duchy of Lancaster | Transportation »

The Jacobite army marched into Lancaster on the 7th November 1715 - their banners flying, drums beating, and bagpipes skirling.

When the commander of the forces in North Lancashire, Sir Henry Hoghton of Hoghton Tower, heard of the Jacobite advance, he placed five or six hundred soldiers in the town and called for reinforcements from Preston. These failed to arrive and Sir Henry was obliged to retreat with his forces from the town.

The leaders of the Jacobite Army proceeded by way of Bridge Lane and China Lane (now China Street) to the Market Square where King James III was proclaimed as "the lawful Sovereign of these realms".

Lancaster was only occupied by the Jacobites for two days. Strangely, they failed to recognise that Lancaster was easy to defend and had sea-links by which help could have come from France and Ireland. The Jacobites therefore left for the Battle of Preston on the 9th November where they we defeated. 400 of their number were later to return to Lancaster- this time as prisoners.

« The Duchy of Lancaster | Transportation »