Manchester has a pretty rich history, so we’ve created our very own walking tour of the sights. Grab a couple of friends, throw on some trainers, and enjoy the city.
Begin at Manchester Victoria Station and look at the tiled maps on the wall, the station serves towns and villages in the North West. It is the second largest station in England and opened in 1844. The station is currently undergoing lots of refurbishment to ‘make it look posh’.
Head south east on Victoria Station Approach towards Long Milgate.
The oldest part of the school dates back to the 1420s when it was built as a residence for priests at the nearby Cathedral. Its library is the world’s oldest public one in the English speaking world.
Visit on Monday to Friday from 9.00-12.30 and 1.30 to 4.30pm.
Walk up the side of the school and the cathedral will be directly in front of you.
The cathedral is believed to have a Saxon origin, with parts of the cathedral as estimated to be as old as 700 AD. It has suffered extensive damage from a German bomb in WW2 and again in 1996 from an IRA bomb. It is regularly used as an atmospheric concert venue for bands such as Elbow and St Vincent.
Walk onto Deansgate and take a left onto St. Mary’s Gate.
Take a right onto Exchange Street and the theatre will be on your left hand side.
Manchester has had several exchanges throughout the centuries since the industrial revolution, where brokers and textile merchants would broker deals. The building we see today opened in 1921, and you can still see the last day of trade on the boards within the theatre. Now a popular theatre, it also suffered extensive damage in WW2 and in the 1996 IRA bomb.
Cross St Ann’s Square and turn right down the side of HSBC. The arcade will be straight in front of you.
A Victorian iron structure built in 1871; it’s worth having a wander through the glass and iron structure to look at the old school boutiques.
Walk through the arcade and turn left onto Deansgate.
Turn left down Queen Street and walk 50 yards. Lincoln Square will be right in front of you.
The statue itself has had a long history, and was donated to the city of Manchester to thank the city for the sacrifices it made during the boycott of Southern Cotton to protest the use of slave labour. Manchester was an ally to Abraham Lincoln’s Union during the American Civil War, but the boycott led to the Lancashire Cotton Famine, with many families struggling to keep their jobs and feed their families.
Walk back up Queen St and cross the road, the library will be directly in front of you.
The gothic library was built by the wife of John Rylands in his memory and opened to the public in 1900. The historic reading room is breath taking, and though it may not be all that practical for revising, it is certainly worth your time for a quick visit.
Walk back down Deansgate towards the cathedral but take the first left onto Bridge Street.
Take a left onto Left Bank and you will see the Civil Justice centre. The museum will be on the right hand side of the road.
A great, modern museum on the left bank of the river Irwell; this museum has everything you need for a brief history of Manchester and its politics; including the Peterloo Massacre and the two main modern political parties.
As you leave the museum turn right and carry on down Left Bank (follow it around a corner).
Walk through Spinningfields and then walk down Gartside Street (down the side of Carluccio’s).
At the Gartside/ Lower Byrom Street junction take Lower Byrom Street.
Turn left onto Liverpool Road and MOSI will be on your left hand side.
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) houses the world’s oldest railway station, Liverpool Road Station, which was the Manchester terminus of the Manchester to Liverpool railway line. The railway opened in 1830 and was key in solidifying Manchester’s position as an industrial powerhouse. The original station and warehouse survive.
The roman fort is directly opposite the entrance to MOSI.
Mamucium, or Mancunium, is the roman settlement from which Manchester later took its name. It was founded in 79 AD. Situated just over the road from MOSI, little of the fort remains but there is a reconstruction of what the original fort is thought to have looked like.
Walk down Liverpool Road towards Deansgate and walk by Beetham Tower, the tallest residential tower in Europe. The 47 story tower was built in 2006 (and also has a bar on the 23rd floor).
Cross over Deansgate and go onto Great Bridgewater Street down the left down the side of Beetham Tower.
Follow the road until the viaduct and take a left onto Lower Moseley Street. The Bridgewater Hall will be on your right hand side.
Home to the Hallé Orchestra, this venue is culturally important to Manchester, often hosting the BBC philharmonic and other orchestras. The Hallé orchestra had its debut in 1858 and is now in its 156th season.
Student tickets can be bought for certain performances by the orchestra for £3!
Follow Lower Moseley Street past the Midland Hotel. The Central Library and Town hall will be directly in front of you.
The square was the location of the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, where a cavalry charged into a 60,000 strong crowd of peaceful protesters who were demanding their right to the vote. 18 people died in the crowd and hundreds more suffered serious injuries. It is widely acknowledged that the event was integral to giving ordinary people the vote, establishing trade unions and bringing about the creation of the Manchester Guardian.
It now houses the town hall and the recently refurbished Central Library.
(University Switchboard)
+44 (0) 161 306 6000
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
