Historic Lancaster is a city of stories and heritage. It is a city where the past sits comfortably with the present. Splendid stone façades hark back...

Historic Lancaster is a city of stories and heritage. It is a city where the past sits comfortably with the present.  Splendid stone façades hark back to its heyday as a Georgian port; quirky independent shops rub shoulders with a smattering of well-known stores; museums and monuments are enjoyed by young and old. Start: Lancaster Priory (LA1 1YZ)Walk along the side of the Priory to the top of the steps. From here you can see the history and heritage of the city laid out before you. The magnificent Georgian buildings tell of the riches that were made during Lancaster’s heyday as a bustling port on the spice route.Look out for: On the skyline you can see The Ashton Memorial, completed in 1909, after being commissioned by Lancaster’s foremost entrepreneur Lord Ashton.  Around it spreads a spectacular park with a café and butterfly house, an atmospheric place to while away an afternoon.Now, turn around and look at the Priory itself. You are standing on ancient, hallowed ground - it is believed that Christian worship has been taking place on this site since the 2nd century - the Romans arrived in Lancaster in about 80 AD. The Priory itself is very old and was granted a charter as a Benedictine Priory in 1094.Lancaster CastleTurn again and look at the Castle (No. 2 on Map). It started life as a Roman fort and has a thrilling history of dungeons, witches, knights and martyrs. It is here that the Pendle witches were tried and condemned to the gallows which in those days was near The Ashton Memorial. From where you are standing you can see Hanging Corner where the public executions were held in the 18th-19th centuries - imagine the thousands of people who gathered where you are standing to watch.Look out for: The castle's Shire Hall on the right is still used as a Crown Court. The older part of the Castle dates back to the mid-12th century. You can take a tour around the Castle - see the old prison wings which only closed in 2011 and be locked in the…