Manchester
 Cathedrals |
Is Manchester more than the home of two world famous football teams - Manchester United and Manchester City?
Manchester originated on the site of Mancunium, a Roman encampment built by Agricola's legions in AD79 on the banks of the River Irwell; the troops had stopped over here whilst marching from Chester to York. The North Gate and part of the west wall of the Roman camp have been reconstructed on the original site, and a guardroom furnished as it is thought to have appeared when in use in the 1 st century AD. Excavations have revealed that the original Roman fortress was constructed with turf and timber. A later civilian settlement developed to the north of the military stronghold - here was the actual birthplace of Manchester.
During the 14 th century Edward III introduced Flemish weavers into England, and this laid the foundations for Manchester to become the North of England's industrial capital. However, it remained little more than a thriving market town until the Industrial Revolution transformed it into the foremost trading centre for Lancashire cotton. The wealth generated in the 19 th century, through its trade, was reflected in the prosperity of the city, and Manchester developed into one of England's finest Victorian cities - many outstanding buildings remain from this period lending elegant testament to this claim. Manchester is proud of its origins, and is still unmistakably a Victorian city.
The central area bounded by Princess Street, Mount Street and Lower Mosley Street, highlight the city's Victorian heritage. The Town Hall completed in 1877, is considered a classic of its time; the Gothic interior detail reflects the imaginative design of its architect Alfred Waterhouse. It covers nearly two acres, has a 280ft clock tower, accommodates statues of prominent Mancunians, and the Great Hall has a hammerbeam roof and murals depicting the city's history from the Romano-British period to the 19 th century.
St Peter's Square is laid out on the site of St Peter's Field, where in 1819, a dark moment in Manchester's history occurred. The city is notable for its traditions of social and political reforming, thus on 16 th August 1819 50000 people assembled to press for political changes. High unemployment, intolerable working conditions and widespread poverty had led to strikes and riots, and Manchester was still not represented in Parliament. The meeting, however, was violently broken-up by mounted troops who dispersed the thronged masses with sabres drawn. Eleven people were killed and hundreds injured in what became known as the ‘Peterloo Massacre' - the Battle of Waterloo had been fought only four years earlier. The Manchester radicals were supported by John Edward Taylor, who founded the Manchester Guardian in 1821; the newspaper became the instrument of radicalism, and its influence was felt on a national scale.
Some of the earliest examples of the printed word can be seen in the John Rylands University Library; John Rylands, 1801/88, was a weaving tycoon and public benefactor. His widow founded the library as a memorial to him, purchasing books through his legacies. Opened in 1900, this Gothic styled building houses a fabulous collection, including a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, more than 60 books printed by William Caxton, 1 st editions of Greek, Latin and English classics and manuscripts in more than 50 languages dating from 3000BC to the present day.
Manchester's Central Library, opened in 1934, offers a contrast to the Victorian edifices around it. A circular building, the library has classical lines with a portico of Corinthian columns and Tuscan columns around the upper storey; its design is based on the Pantheon in Rome. Inside is a domed reading-room, and the Shakespeare Hall has a stain- glass window showing the playwright surrounded by some of his characters.
Manchester Cathedral is a 15 th century building in perpendicular Gothic style, dedicated to St Mary, St Denys and St George; it was granted cathedral status in 1847. A tower was added in 1868, enhancing the striking majesty of the building; there is a side chapel dedicated to the Manchester Regiment and it has the widest medieval naïve in Britain. The cathedral's major glory is the carved bench ends installed by Bishop Stanley between 1505/10 - artistry in wood of the highest order. A Victorian porch at the foot of the tower commemorates Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897.
Barton Arcade is one of the finest surviving Victorian arcades in Britain. Built in 1871 it is topped by an elegant glazed dome roof with delicate iron tracery - now a smart shopping centre it remains a lasting tribute to Manchester's Victorian prosperity. An even older shopping centre is located in Shambles Square, where despite the efforts of the German Luftwaffe , the 14 th century half-timbered Wellington Inn and a mid 16 th century house still stand.
The City Art Gallery, designed in 1825 by Sir Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament, is considered by many to be the finest building in the city. The Gallery contains collections of paintings, sculpture, glass, silver and pottery, and includes Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces and the development of British painting from the 17 th to the 20th centuries. The Free Trade Hall is the home of one of the country's leading orchestra's, The Halle, founded in 1858 by Sir Charles Halle.