MANY Lancashire school pupils learn about the history of our shire, from the War of the Roses, to the cobbles and chimneys of the Industrial revolution, but few know of our county's earlier history.

Lancashire is one of the newest of all English counties; it wasn't formed when the Normans arrived in 1066, as most of the others, but by about 1180) it had gained an identity of its own.

But let's not jump the gun, our history goes back much further.

The Romans were here in Lancashire, in the two or three centuries after the birth of Christ among the Ancient Britons or Celts. They built towns, you can recognise them today as they often end in caster, cester, or chester' - places like Lancaster and Manchester.

The Anglo Saxons invaded Britain from the continent when they noticed the Roman Empire was on its legs and their new land was named England, meaning Angleland.

They scrapped however over the seven kingdoms; we in Lancashire were in the Kingdom of Northumbria, until half of it was taken into Mercia after a battle and then the Vikings invaded!

But they did far more trading than raiding, as is their reputation and after a while they were living peaceful in Lancashire. Evidence comes from a massive hoard of Viking silver which was found at Cuerdale near Preston, as well as place names.

Anywhere which has a name beginning with grim' or ending in by, ness, or thwaite' is Viking.

On the other hand, anywhere ending in ham, ton or ley' is Anglo Saxon in origin. Ancient British names often start with pen, wal or eccles' and sometimes end in keth'.

Lancashire wasn't a fully recognised county at the time of William the Conqueror's invasion in 1066, but the hundreds that which made it up were around.

Lancashire is historically divided into six of these units: West Derby Hundred, around Liverpool; Salford Hundred around manchester; Leyland Hundred, Blackburn Hundred, Amounderness Hundred, Preston and Blackpool area and Lonsdale Hundred, around Lancaster and including the area "north of the sands" where Lancashire lies in part of the Lake District.

Around 1070 William gave one of his most loyal supporters, Roger de Poitou, a massive area of land in the north west and told him to keep the troublesome locals in check!

This stretched from the Lakeland Fells to the River Mersey, bringing together for the first time, the territories which would become our own Red Rose county.

A document of 1181-82 is the earliest surviving evidence of Lancashire as a county in its own right.

Roger chose Lancaster as the site for his castle and became the centre of administration. His lands became known as the Honour of Roger of Poitou or the Honour of Lancaster.

After he rose up against King Henry I in 1102 his lands were given to Stephen of Blois, grandson of the Conquerer.

In 1168 Lancashire was first termed the county of Lancashire under King Henry II.

In 1267 Edmund Crouchback was created 1st Earl of Lancaster.

In 1351, Henry Earl of Lancaster was made a Duke and also granted Palatine powers, so that the Duke's word and writs were law, rather than the Kings.

Palatine status was granted because of its strategic position in defending England from the Scots.