Marsh - A History
The Marsh really began to develop into the neighbourhood we see today with the opening of Williamsons in 1844 on the nearby Lune Mills site.
What was once the biggest factory of its kind in the world producing oilcloth and table baize, it employed 4,000 people, many of who wanted to live close to their workplace.
But long before James Williamson made his mark on the Marsh and the city as a whole, the area was associated with trade.
Stretching alongside the River Lune, it played its part in the prosperous maritime trade which boosted Lancaster in Georgian times.
As well as shipbuilding, delft ware pottery was made on the banks of the Lune from the 1750s and to grind the colours needed, the Marsh Mill, a windmill off Willow Lane, was established in 1786.
And around the same time, the Marsh was also home to a racecourse where Georgian Lancastrians with a bit of money in their pockets enjoyed a spot of horse racing.
For as well as being closely linked with trade and industry, the Marsh also has a strong sporting tradition.
Lancaster's principal sports grounds are in the vicinity of the former racecourse: Giant Axe, the home of Lancaster City FC, established in 1910; and Lancaster Cricket Club, founded in 1841.
While the Marsh's proximity to the river proved fortuitous in many ways, it proved problematic in others.
Up to the 1970s when the flood gates were improved, flooding regularly occured in the area and was worst hit in 1907 when hundreds of sheep and cattle on the Marsh were drowned.
And flooding led to the closure of the isolation hospital which had been built at Marsh Point to treat anyone with scarlet fever and other infectious diseases.
Despite being close to Lancaster's urban centre, you don't have to walk far on the Marsh to come across open space.
Coronation Field is a testament to the area's community spirit as it was created by residents from wasteland donated by Williamsons in the 1950s and they have successfully staved off attempts from builders to develop the area ever since.
Freemans Wood has also been a popular place for generations of Marsh residents to spend their spare time.
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Weather for Lancaster
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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