Preston, England, a city in Lancashire. It is on the Ribble River, 185 miles (300 km) northwest of London. It has been a textile center since the 18th century. Preston is a port city with rail and air services. The city's name is a corruption of Priests' Town, a phrase referring to the city's historic importance as a center of Roman Catholicism. Preston received a charter in the 12th century from Henry II. The city was taken in the 14th century by the Scottish king Robert Bruce. In 1648, during the Great Rebellion, Preston was the site of a victory by Cromwell's antiroyalist forces.
Population (district): 129,633.