With more than 700 years of tradition, Preston Guild is a famous and unique celebration.

Linking the city's glorious heritage and past with its ambitions for the future, the Guild is Preston's most important and historic event.

Held every 20 years - hence the well-known saying "once every Preston Guild" - the guild marks Preston's regional and national significance as a place to trade and, perhaps fittingly, being home to the UK's sixth largest university, learn the skills and abilities to forge a future career.

The guild dates back to the granting of Preston's first Charter by King Henry in 1179, which recognised Preston as an important settlement in England and gave the town a number of rights and privileges, including the right to hold a market and trade goods.

This saw a gradual expansion of Preston's prominence and influence, with people flocking to learn their trade and sell their goods.

See useful websites for videos of the 1972 Preston guild celebrations (bottom right)