Lancashire Day takes place every year on November 27 – but what is it and why is it so important?
Lancashire Day is an annual celebration of the historic county of Lancashire, taking place on November 27 – the anniversary of when the first elected representatives from Lancashire were summoned to Parliament in 1295.
The representatives attended what became known as the Model Parliament which was the beginning of democracy in Britain.
Because of its historic significance, this day was proclaimed as Lancashire Day across the country in 1996.
The Red Rose County was created in 1182 under King Henry II and traditionally includes Manchester, Liverpool, Furness and Cartmell.
The Local Government Act in 1972 transferred parts of Lancashire to Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria, and incorporated parts of Yorkshire for administrative purposes.
Friends of Real Lancashire formally established Lancashire Day to “promote and preserve the true identity of Lancashire” and runs events each year to celebrate the historic county.
Every year, the Lancashire Day Proclamation is read out by town criers throughout the county on November 27.
At 9pm on Lancashire Day, Lancastrians across the world celebrate with a toast to the Duke of Lancaster – the King.
The Lancashire Day Proclamation
To the people of the city and county palatine of Lancaster, Greetings!
Know ye that this day, November 27th in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty Four, the 3rd year of the reign of His Majesty King Charles III, Duke of Lancaster, is Lancashire Day.
Know ye also, and rejoice, that by virtue of His Majesty's County Palatine of Lancaster, the citizens of the Hundreds of Lonsdale, North and South of the Sands, Amounderness, Leyland, Blackburn, Salford and West Derby are forever entitled to style themselves Lancastrians.
Throughout the County Palatine, from the Furness Fells to the River Mersey, from the Irish Sea to the Pennines, this day shall ever mark the people's pleasure in that excellent distinction - true Lancastrians, proud of the Red Rose and loyal to our Sovereign Duke.
God bless Lancashire and God Save the King, Duke of Lancaster.
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