Massey Ferguson tractor taking part in one of the processions to mark Preston Guild 2012
Preston Guild is an historic celebration which dates back to 1179. It is the only Guild still celebrated in the UK and, as such, is truly unique. Held only once every 20 years, the 2012 celebration was the first to be held in the 21st century and the first since the granting of Preston’s city status in 2002. King Henry II granted Preston the right to have a Guild Merchant in 1179 and gave the town its first royal charter. The Guild was an organisation of traders, craftsmen and merchants. The first reliably recorded celebration of the Guild was in 1397, when it was already more than two centuries old. The gatherings were infrequent and It came to be the practice that they were needed only once in a generation. As a result, since 1542 Preston Guild has been held every 20 years, leading to the well-known English North Country expression "once every Preston Guild" to describe a rare or infrequent event.
Size: 4272px × 2848px
Location: Preston Lancashire England UK
Photo credit: © Roger Goodwin / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 12-09-07, 20, celebration, civic, communities, community, ferguson, guild, lancashire, massey, parade, preston, procession, tractor, years
