Preston and Church History Sites

Wednesday, we drove from Windermere, in the Lake District, down to Preston and checked in at the Temple. We were fortunate to see and visit with President (and Sister) Clegg, who was Adam’s mission president, but now is the MTC President here at the Preston Temple. Next we drove into Preston for some church history!!! We started at the obelisk in Flagg Market where the first missionaries came into Preston and often preached. You will see a picture of it with Adam standing at the base in the slide show. A soggy walk down the street, because we were experiencing our first official English rain, took us to St. Wilfrid Street. This is where Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, and other missionaries first lodged. It was here that they were tormented by evil spirits the night before the first baptisms. Avenham park was our next stop where the 1987 sesquicentennial plaque is located that commemorates the first baptisms (also in the slide show). The River Ribble and a tree lined walk (with Jess in the picture) took us by where the first baptisms took place – just across the bridge. This concrete bridge is an exact replica of the original wooden bridge. The baptisms took place just upstream from the bridge.


The next pictures are from our half hour drive north the Chatburn and Downham. It was in these two villages that Heber C. Kimball and his companion baptized around 60 people in two days. Before he went he was told not to go because the people in these villages had not accepted any religious sect for 30 years. Chatburn and Downham, today, look just like they did when Heber C. Kimball arrived, minus the cars and pavement. The last couple of shots are of the countryside. We hope you enjoy them. Next is Liverpool…the Beatles Museum, the Albert Docks, shopping and ?