HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE.
POPULAR COUNTY HISTORIES.
A
HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE.
BY
LIEUT.–COLONEL HENRY FISHWICK, F.S.A.,
Author of
“The Lancashire Library,” “The History of Kirkham,”
“The History of Rochdale,” etc.
LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1894.
PREFACE.
The enormous amount of material, printed and in manuscript, which isavailable for a History of Lancashire, makes the writing of a popularwork on that subject by no means an easy task; indeed, when firstmentioned to me, I thought it was almost impossible, by any process ofselection, to produce within the compass of an ordinary octavo volumesuch a book as would be a popular history, and yet not fail to presenta faithful picture of the county.
However, I have made the attempt, and in accomplishing the task Imust have necessarily left out much which many readers would prefershould have been inserted; but I trust that I have not inserted whatsome would wish I had omitted. I have endeavoured to confine myself asfar as possible to the history of the county as a whole, and have notallowed myself to go into personal or local details except when suchwere required to illustrate the subject in hand. Of the large army ofLancashire authors and celebrities I have said nothing, as strictlyspeaking personal notices belong rather to[vi] biography than history; andif it were not so, I may, I think, stand excused, as to have merelygiven their names would have well–nigh filled the volume.
In making my selection of materials from the almost inexhaustiblestores at my disposal, I have rejected everything which in my opinionis not capable of being well authenticated. In a work of this characterit is not desirable to encumber the text with the very large numberof references to authorities which otherwise might be required. Thereader, however, may rest assured that I have in no case drawn onmy imagination for my facts, neither have I accepted the statementsof others without first satisfying myself that those statements aretrustworthy and reliable.
Henry Fishwick.
The Heights,
Rochdale.
