A liquid crystal display device comprising: a pair of substrates (SUB1,SUB2), at least one of which (SUB1,SUB2) is transparent; a group of electrodes (EL1,EL2) arranged on one of or both of the substrates (SUB1,SUB2) and adapted to apply an electric field to a nematic type liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates (SUB1,SUB2) when a drive voltage (V1,V2) is applied to the electrodes (EL1,EL2), to allow in-plane switching of the liquid crystal layer, the electric field having a component substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates (SUB1,SUB2); and an alignment layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the same one of or both substrates (SUB1,SUB2) characterised in that the alignment layer has been subjected to alignment layer treatment in two directions to create two liquid crystal anchoring directions, between which the liquid crystal anchoring force does not differ greatly and in at least one of which the pre-tilt angle with respect to the corresponding substrate surface is substantially zero, wherein the liquid crystal anchoring directions form substantially equal angles relative to one another on the corresponding substrate surface (SUB1,SUB2), so that the liquid crystal layer is provided with a memory effect in which liquid crystal alignment remains energetically stable in a first and a second alignment state after the drive voltage (V1,V2) has been removed from the electrodes (EL1,EL2); wherein the group of electrodes (EL1,EL2) comprises a first and a second pair of electrodes (EL1A,EL1B,EL2A,EL2B) and the drive voltage comprises a first and second drive voltage (V1,V2), wherein the first pair of electrodes (EL1A,EL1B) is arranged to provide a different electric field orientation to that provided by the second pair of electrodes (EL2A,EL2B), such that on applying the first drive voltage to the first pair of electrodes (EL1 A,EL1 B) a first electric field is produced which causes the liquid crystal layer to align with the first alignment state and on applying the second drive voltage to the second pair of electrodes (EL2A,EL2B) a second electric field is produced which causes the liquid crystal layer to align with the second alignment state. a pair of substrates (SUB1,SUB2), at least one of which (SUB1,SUB2) is transparent; a group of electrodes (EL1,EL2) arranged on one of or both of the substrates (SUB1,SUB2) and adapted to apply an electric field to a nematic type liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates (SUB1,SUB2) when a drive voltage (V1,V2) is applied to the electrodes (EL1,EL2), to allow in-plane switching of the liquid crystal layer, the electric field having a component substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates (SUB1,SUB2); and an alignment layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the same one of or both substrates (SUB1,SUB2) characterised in that the alignment layer has been subjected to alignment layer treatment in two directions to create two liquid crystal anchoring directions, between which the liquid crystal anchoring force does not differ greatly and in at least one of which the pre-tilt angle with respect to the corresponding substrate surface is substantially zero, wherein the liquid crystal anchoring directions form substantially equal angles relative to one another on the corresponding substrate surface (SUB1,SUB2), so that the liquid crystal layer is provided with a memory effect in which liquid crystal alignment remains energetically stable in a first and a second alignment state after the drive voltage (V1,V2) has been removed from the electrodes (EL1,EL2); wherein the group of electrodes (EL1,EL2) comprises a first and a second pair of electrodes (EL1A,EL1B,EL2A,EL2B) and the drive voltage comprises a first and second drive voltage (V1,V2), wherein the first pair of electrodes (EL1A,EL1B) is arranged to provide a different electric field orientation to that provided by the second pair of electrodes (EL2A,EL2B), such that on applying the first drive voltage to the first pair of electrodes (EL1 A,EL1 B) a first electric field is produced which causes the liquid crystal layer to align with the first alignment state and on applying the second drive voltage to the second pair of electrodes (EL2A,EL2B) a second electric field is produced which causes the liquid crystal layer to align with the second alignment state.