Lazy Days in Lancaster – Day 2

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19th June 2026

Morning all! It’s our first full day here in Lancaster, having arrived late yesterday afternoon.

We both slept well but were awake at just before 6 to hear the melodic tones of two ‘gobby’ women immediately outside in the street, accusing the other of ‘gaslighting’ them! 😬. Yikes! They were really vocal!! 😮. Luckily, they were only within earshot for about five minutes as we enjoyed their ‘deeply philosophical’ debate gradually fade into the distance!

Sunbathing today? I think not!

The weather forecast was nothing special, but at least it looked better than when we arrived yesterday afternoon! 😮.

If you’re catching up, we’re staying in the rather quaint, but popular, Borough Pub Restaurant & Hotel that is just a short walk from where we plan to spend a lot of our time. Missed yesterday’s Post (why? 😉) – it’s HERE.

As we’re only in the area until Monday, we want to make the most of our time exploring the local area, and so, as you might have guessed, if you know us, we’ve got a little list 😉

The highlight for us, culturally speaking, is going to be the Castle, the tour around the local Theatre and finally, the trip to see Eric Morecambe’s famous statue! 👍

But first…

Breakfast at the Hotel!

We had the place almost all to ourselves! 👍

Today…

The plan, after Breakfast, was to visit the Castle, just a 10-minute walk away.

Lancaster Castle

The Castle is a Grade I-listed building that occupies a hilltop location (really!?) on the site of three successive Roman forts and has been described by English Heritage as…

“Not only the North-West’s most important historic and archaeological monument but also of international importance”

It’s also known as John O’Gaunt’s Castle and is currently owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, aka His Majesty, King Charles III. Read more about the Castle HERE.

If you’re wondering how John of Gaunt fits into the picture, he was the Duke of Lancaster (1340 – 1399), an English prince, military leader and statesman. It probably helped that he was also the fourth son of King Edward III and the father of King Henry IV. Because of his royal roots, advantageous marriages and numerous land acquisitions, he was one of the richest men of his time – yes, it’s not WHAT you know etc… 😉

What an improvement in the weather too! We walked around in short-sleeves and no coat! 🌞🌞 As we passed through the Keep, we noticed something unexpected…

In fact, from overheard conversations by the staff, it seemed to be a surprise to them too – apparently, the ‘advanced party’ were going about their business, assembling chairs and large stage BUT expected TOMORROW! Still, they weren’t going to let a few hundred chairs, miles of wiring and testing the sound system (with the volume set to 11!) get in the way of the tranquility of the Castle on a Friday, were they!?

Judging by the frantic conversations between roadies and Castle staff – err, yes, they were! Cue some tension between both parties 😬

Yes, it’s all about the Comedy Festival – Comedy at the Castle – coming soon and it looked like they were expecting quite a few!

We grabbed a seat and waited for our Guide and the 10.45 Tour.

Gotta have standards!!! 😊👍

The following numbers are probably worth a Post all of their own (but I’ll spare you that!) 😮

The Tour took around an hour and a quarter and for just £9 each, great value. Gregory brought the history of the Castle to life with his delivery style. He certainly knew his stuff, but if you came here expecting an uplifting story of knights, their battles and other castle-related stuff, this was the wrong place!

This was a place of punishment in all its various shades. From the Pendle Witch Trials (1612) to the last man hanged (Thomas Rawcliffe) in 1910, plus the home of two working Courts and a Prison until February 2012. The ex-Prison is now the home to Lancashire’s Police Museum.

The above was the final photo of the Tour as we headed for the working Courts (including the holding cells), where the instruction was clear: NO PHOTOGRAPHS AT ALL – or risk a fine and possibly imprisonment. ‘Nuf said! The next 30 minutes was fascinating as we got up close and personal with the inner workings of the judicial system including a wall of shields depicting monarchy and High Sheriffs!

As a Category 3 establishment, Norman Stanley Fletcher and Del Boy would feel right at home here! 😊👍but as the Tour ended on stories of the most recent hangings and how the dead bodies were, ahem! ‘maintained’, it all felt very depressing! 🤔

Coffee!

As recommended by our friend and neighbour, Janet, to cheer ourselves up, we headed for (late) elevenses nearby.

Another great coffee from Atkinson’s Coffee Roasters.

We’d planned to visit the Police Museum next, but they were closed for Lunch, so we filled in the time by exploring some of the other attractions here – The Priory and the nearby Roman Baths.

The Priory

Tucked behind the Castle is The Priory or to give its full name: Lancaster Priory Church of Saint Mary. It has been a place of worship here since the 2nd century, and inside, there was plenty to read about its history as well as marvel at the architecture.

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Roman Baths

Fancy a bath?

In truth, there’s not much to see here, but it killed fifteen minutes or so.

The Police Museum

Note this is only open on Thursday and Fridays from 10.30 and closed between 12.30 and 1.30 for Lunch. It closes at 4.00pm – criminal!! 😉

Where once Prisoners resided has now been converted to a Museum to reflect the Lancashire Police’s fascinating past and present.

This was probably one of the most comprehensive and content-rich Prison Museums we’ve ever visited (and we’ve done quite a few!). Well worth an hour of your time – and better still, it’s free to get in (and out!) 😁

Well, it made me giggle – Oh, the irony!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

The Judges’ Lodgings Museum

Our final stop today was here – The Judges’ Lodgings Museum, just a few minutes’ walk from the Castle.

This was a perfect example of how the rich and powerful of the judiciary were rewarded for their work. A house full of ‘no-expense-spared’ furniture (by the world famous Gillows) and other comforts. For younger readers, Gillows was THE cabinet maker and the byword for quality furniture in the same vein as Chippendale (not to be confused with Chip ‘n’ Dale, the chipmunks).

Yes, if you fancied a bit of posh cabinet-making, Gillows was your man – and there was plenty on show here across the first two floors.

Tools of the trade…

On the top floor, it was full of childrens’ toys – The Museum of Childhood – a fascinating trip in time back to the Victorian era complemented by more modern toys. A real treat for kids aged 9 to 90! 👍👍

Back to school!

Wow! What an impressive place! Just £5 each to get too!

Our final stop for the day was a more down-to-earth visit to Marks and Spencer’s for tonight’s carpet picnic. With rain forecast, we didn’t fancy venuring out again and as we stepped through the door to our room, it started to rain – perfect timing then! 👍😊

With about 2½ miles walked today, we even managed to up our step-count! 😁😁. Smug or what!!!

Tomorrow…

A conducted tour around the nearby Grand Theatre, the City Museum and then the Town Hall. Weather permitting, we might grab a boat trip too!