The region became caught up in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, where the Houses of York and Lancaster fought over the English throne, the red rose being the symbol of the Duchy of Lancaster. The final battle of the war took place in the region and what was thought to be the remains of the final King of the era, King Richard III, were recently discovered there.
Industrial history
Early industrialisation brought canals and the silk industry before cotton weaving resulted in the growth of the great industrial cities of Manchester and Liverpool. Meanwhile, rural Cumbria emerged from centuries of border conflicts to inspire generations of Romantics with the raw beauty of its scenery and Cheshire sports spectacular black and white timbered houses at Adlington Hall and Gawsworth Hall.
Houses and gardens in Lancashire are more restrained, showing off the skills of Georgian furniture makers, Gillow & Co, while the cities of Manchester and Liverpool developed a rich heritage of their own based on cotton mills and maritime trade.
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