117-639: Piccadilly Gardens is a green space in Manchester city centre , England, on the edge of the Northern Quarter . It takes its name from the adjacent street, Piccadilly, which runs across the city centre from Market Street to London Road. The gardens also contain a bus station and a tram stop. Piccadilly Gardens were laid out after World War I on the former site of the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Originally landscaped as an ornamental sunken garden,
234-547: A concrete pavilion designed by Tadao Ando , and a Metrolink station. Exchange Square is located near Urbis , formerly an exhibition centre focusing on city life but closed and re-opened in mid-2011 as the National Football Museum . Both Piccadilly and Exchange Square are used for screening public events. Two of the city centre's oldest buildings, The Old Wellington Inn and Sinclair's Oyster Bar , were dismantled, moved 300 yards and re-erected in 1999 to create
351-508: A crowd of 60,000–80,000 that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation on what was previously fields – hence the name Peter's Fields. A monument to commemorate the nationally importantly event in the struggle for suffrage is expected to be commissioned for 2019 to mark the 200th anniversary of the massacre. In recent years, the square has been redeveloped with new high-rise office buildings, One St Peter's Square and Two St Peter's Square with further buildings approved for
468-403: A different late medieval instrument, believed to be the gift of James Stanley II. South side (from the east): Portative organ , harp , psaltery (plucked) , dulcimer (played with hammers) , lute , fithele , hurdy-gurdy North side (from the east): clavicymbal , trumpet , shawm , Scots pipes (mouth-blown) , Irish pipes (bellows-blown) , recorder , tabor It is supposed that, in
585-527: A family clinging to a raft in a stormy sea. It was designed by the noted sculptor John Cassidy in 1907 and was given to the Manchester Corporation by the wealthy industrialist and art collector James Gresham, founder of Gresham and Craven engineering works, on the condition that the Corporation house it in the planned new art gallery. As the gallery scheme was not realised, Adrift was instead used as
702-577: A far eastern character ever since and in 1987 a paifang archway was installed to as a gift to the Chinese community and to reflect the far eastern heritage of the area. Canal Street , known as the Gay Village , is a part of the centre east of Portland Street and west of Whitworth Street through which runs the Rochdale Canal; it contains many bars, clubs and other facilities – many of which are focused towards
819-553: A far eastern character. It is the second largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe. The first settlers to arrive in the city came in the early 20th century; according to the BBC , "Many arrived alone and were engaged in what was seen as the traditional trade of laundries ." Manchester's first Chinese restaurant , Ping Hong, opened on Mosley Street in 1948, on
936-445: A fine ornamental fountain . Statues of noted figures such as the Duke of Wellington , Sir Robert Peel and John Dalton were laid out along the esplanade. Perrin's Manchester Handbook of 1857 wrote of the newly inaugurated space: The open space in front of the infirmary, formerly occupied by a pond of water, has lately been given up to the corporation, and has by them been laid out as
1053-607: A large Neoclassical building. However, this scheme was never realised and the city's fine art collection remained in the Manchester City Art Gallery on nearby Mosley Street . Another scheme put forward by the architect Richard Carpenter was to build a large new replacement for Manchester Cathedral on the site. In 1917, the conductor Thomas Beecham proposed the construction of a large opera house , but he went bankrupt before he could advance this plan any further. The "Great Hole of Piccadilly" remained empty throughout
1170-533: A million visitors every year and is one of the largest galleries outside London. The Manchester Museum of Science and Industry in Castlefield explores the industrial heritage of the United Kingdom with emphasis on Manchester. The People's History Museum explores the social history of Manchester and the United Kingdom. Many galleries and museum exist outside the city centre in Manchester and Greater Manchester such as
1287-536: A nationally known theatre company which specialising in new productions of the classics and is known for its ' the round ' layout. The Cornerhouse , at the top of Oxford Road and opposite the Palace, is a venue for the visual arts and contains several cinemas which show mainly art house films. A new Cornerhouse and Library Theatre building will open at First Street in 2015 providing a larger home for both companies. Manchester Art Gallery , opened in 1824, welcomes over half
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#17328526100551404-411: A new 90 metre office tower, 1 Spinningfields could also commence in 2015 after securing a pre-let in late 2014. Aside from offices, Spinningfields was home to a number of high end retail units such as Armani and Mulberry. However, with the main retail district being on the opposite side of the city centre, these units struggled. In recent years the district has cultivated a far more successful image in
1521-469: A public walk, with fountains, which were first displayed at the inauguration of the Wellington Statue on the 30th of August 1856. The Manchester Royal Infirmary relocated in 1908 to its current site on Oxford Road . The hospital buildings were completely demolished by April 1910 apart from the outpatients department, which continued to deal with minor injuries and dispense medication on this site until
1638-618: A sandstone bluff near the confluence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell , in a position defensible from the Brigantes . Once the Romans had abandoned Britain, the focus of settlement shifted to the confluence of the rivers Irwell and Irk . During the Dark Ages which followed – and persisted until the Norman Conquest – the settlement was in the territory of several different petty kingdoms. In
1755-508: A short walk from the area. Spinningfields is an area in the west adjoining the middle part of Deansgate and the main business district of the city centre. The proposal to create a designated central business district originated in 1997 when Allied London purchased a number of buildings around the John Rylands Library . Allied London executive Mike Ingall was convinced of the site's regeneration potential and Manchester City Council
1872-503: A small carving of an angel with a scroll, is preserved in the cathedral. It was discovered in the wall of the cathedral's south porch providing evidence of an earlier, possibly Anglo-Saxon , church. It has been dated to around 700 AD, however the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon sculpture dates the sculpture to the twelfth century. Its Latin inscription translates as "into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit". The first church, possibly sited on or near
1989-544: A visit by Elizabeth II to distribute the Royal Maundy . One of the recipients was the tower captain, Roland Eccles, for 35 years of service to ringing and the cathedral community. As of 28 July 2024: Letitia Elizabeth Landon 's poetical illustration, Collegiate Church, Manchester, to an engraving of a picture of the interior by Thomas Allom was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833. The visitor centre by
2106-473: Is Piccadilly, a street that runs eastwards from the junction of Market Street to the junction of London Road with Ducie Street. The name Piccadilly is often used to refer to the area around Piccadilly itself, including the gardens, Piccadilly station and Piccadilly Basin, a canal basin on the Rochdale Canal . Since 2018, the name has also been given to an electoral ward , Piccadilly . Before 1755,
2223-514: Is a grade I listed building. The former parish church was rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style in the years following the foundation of the collegiate body in 1421. Then at the end of the 15th century, James Stanley II (warden 1485–1506 and later Bishop of Ely 1506–1515) was responsible for rebuilding the nave and collegiate choir with high clerestory windows; also commissioning the late-medieval wooden internal furnishings, including
2340-530: Is also commemorated in Victorian rebus , carvings of a man hunting and a man with a tun (barrel of ale), on either side of the arch accessing the Lady Chapel. The church's 14th-century west tower and Lady Chapel were incorporated into the current structure although little or no fabric of that date is still visible, and the Lady Chapel was lost in 1940. Traditionally the third warden, Ralph Langley (1465–1481),
2457-585: Is constructed of three types of stone. The walls and internal piers were originally constructed in a dark purple-brown Collyhurst sandstone formed in the Early Permian period. This is now visible only in the tower arch of the nave, in the interior of the Jesus Chapel and in the chancel; as in the early 19th century all the surfaces of the nave and aisles were scored to be encased in Roman Cement . This damaged
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#17328526100552574-603: Is credited with rebuilding the nave but the nave and choir were substantially reconstructed again by James Stanley II (1485–1506) a few years later, when he raised the clerestory and provided the richly decorated timber roofs and choir stalls. James's stepmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort was mother of Henry VII and through their alliance with the Tudor dynasty the Stanleys acquired both fabulous wealth and access to architects and craftsmen working on royal commissions. On stylistic grounds,
2691-674: Is defined as its Regional Centre for urban planning and public transport purposes. There is little order due to the manner in which the city rapidly developed during the Industrial Revolution nor much agreement on the differing areas in Manchester city centre. However many areas and streets in the city centre have a distinctive character with identifiable clusters of industrial warehouses, civic buildings and modern developments. Many of these distinctive areas are covered in 14 city centre conservation areas which are defined by Manchester City Council . These are essential ingredients to
2808-479: Is exceptionally fine. James Stanley was responsible for the embellishment of the nave roof with supports in the form of fourteen life-size angel minstrels; and for the endowment of his own chantry chapel (now destroyed) near the north-east corner, in which he was buried in 1515. The college was dissolved in 1547 in the reign of Edward VI by the Chantries Act , but refounded by his sister Mary in 1553. Its future
2925-488: Is noted for its purpose as a civic area and includes important buildings and monuments such as Central Library, Midland Hotel, YMCA Building, Manchester Town Hall and Town Hall Extension – all of which are listed. It is described by Manchester City Council as "perhaps the greatest collective accolade to Manchester's original modern heritage". The Square is famous for the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 when cavalry charged into
3042-533: Is part of the Manchester Central constituency, represented by Labour Co-op MP Lucy Powell . The City Centre ward was divided in 2018 between two new wards, Deansgate and Piccadilly . The city centre has variously been defined as those parts of the city within the Manchester Inner Ring Road , or else the entire area within Manchester's Inner Ring Road, thereby encompassing a part of
3159-453: Is part of the 21st century regeneration of the square. The building that visitors are likely to notice first is the huge complex of Piccadilly Plaza which stands over Piccadilly. Piccadilly Plaza was originally built by Covell Matthews and Partners from 1959 to 1965 and has been recently re-modelled by Leslie Jones Architects in 2001 (this mainly involved replacing the old Chinese style-roofed towers of Bernard House). Piccadilly Plaza contains
3276-413: Is typically busy with pedestrians commuting to and from the city centre. The area is dominated by Piccadilly Gardens . It is the largest public square in the centre which was redeveloped in the early 2000s but not to a universally positive reception. For over 150 years Manchester Royal Infirmary was located on the site but closed in 1914. A few years after closure the hospital was demolished and public space
3393-522: The Berlin Wall ; it was partially removed in November 2020 in response to public comment – an action condemned by The Twentieth Century Society . The Piccadilly Gardens area is frequently criticised as being a haven for drug users, and there have been media reports of spice being openly traded and consumed in public there. In response to ongoing problems with antisocial behaviour and the public response to
3510-653: The Great Northern Warehouse . After the decline of the cotton trade and the Manchester Blitz , the city centre suffered economic decline during the mid-20th century, but the CIS Tower ranked as the tallest building in the UK when completed in 1962. The city centre acts as the transport interchange for Greater Manchester and over 7 million people live within an hour's drive of it. The 1996 Manchester bombing provided
3627-508: The LGBT community . The area has long been associated with the gay community with links going back to the early 20th century when homosexuality was still illegal. During the industrial years the area was a red light district . At the 2001 UK census , the political ward of "Central", which covers an area of 2.14 square miles (5.54 km ), had a population of 11,689 with a population density of 5,460 inhabitants per square mile (2,108/km ). While this
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3744-519: The Manchester Arndale in 1975 shifted the retail focus towards the area bounded by Market Street, Corporation Street, Withy Grove and High Street. Despite the Arndale's unpopularity with many critics, it has been described as an outstandingly successful shopping centre by visitor numbers and spending. Today the Arndale attracts 41 million visitors a year and is the largest city centre shopping centre in
3861-752: The Manchester Opera House (opened 1912). In 2008, plans emerged to redevelop the Palace Theatre as a northern base for the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet however these plans were shelved and both theatres were purchased by the Ambassador Theatre Group for £90m. In recent years the Group have launched the 'Manchester Gets It First' campaign and a number of high-profile musicals have premiered in Manchester such as Ghost in 2011. The Royal Exchange ,
3978-675: The Middle Ages , and was the site of the Peterloo Massacre of 1819. Manchester was granted city status in 1853, after the Industrial Revolution , from which the city centre emerged as the global centre of the cotton trade which encouraged its "splendidly imposing commercial architecture" during the Victorian era , such as the Royal Exchange , the Corn Exchange , the Free Trade Hall , and
4095-510: The Middle Ages , what is now the city centre was the township of Manchester . Manchester Castle – a medieval fortification, probably taking the form of a ringwork – was located on a bluff where the rivers Irk and Irwell meet. The castle was first mentioned in 1184 and recorded in 1215 as belonging to the barons of Manchester, the Grelley family. It has been described as "of no political or military importance". The Grelleys replaced
4212-466: The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). For many years Castlefield was on a tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Status for its industrial past – particularly in regards to the development of the canal as a mode of transportation and the railway. The Northern Quarter is in the north east and is known as a hub for alternate and bohemian culture in Manchester. Previously the area was the retail heart of
4329-521: The Northern Quarter , regarded by some as the central district's creative hub. The quarter is well-provided with bars of various sizes; these include TV 21, Bar Fringe, the cocktail bar Apotheca and Trof. Live music venues may also be found here, including the Night & Day Cafe, MOHO Live and jazz bar Matt & Phred's. There are two major theatres in the city centre, the Palace Theatre (opened 1891) and
4446-501: The Reformation until they were joined by Ripon when its collegiate foundation was restored in 1607. John Dee , magus and astrologer for Elizabeth I was warden from 1595 to 1608 and occupied the wardens' lodgings now incorporated into Chetham's Library . The present charter, the fourth, was granted by Charles I preserving the dedication of the college to Christ. In the early 16th century an almost complete sequence of chantry chapels
4563-456: The Transport for Greater Manchester Manchester public transport network , providing interchange between bus and Metrolink tram services: The square is surrounded by buildings that cover the ages of modern Manchester. From old Victorian warehouses and shops dating from the Industrial Revolution and Manchester's role as the cotton marketing capital to the new office block development which
4680-659: The Whitworth Art Gallery , Imperial War Museum North and The Lowry . Manchester City Centre has four railway stations in the Manchester station group : Piccadilly, Victoria, Oxford Road and Deansgate. Metrolink is the light rail tram service that operates in Central Manchester. The services are usually 6 mins in the peak and 12 mins off-peak to most destinations, all of which are within Greater Manchester. As of 2021 there are eight lines operating, connecting
4797-451: The pulpitum , choir stalls and the nave roof supported by angels with gilded instruments. The collegiate church became the cathedral of the new Diocese of Manchester in 1847. It was extensively refaced, restored and extended in the Victorian period, and again following bomb damage during World War II . It is one of fifteen Grade I listed buildings in Manchester . The origins of Manchester's first churches are obscure. The Angel Stone ,
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4914-432: The urban sprawl , so many decided to migrate. The area's beginnings are rooted in the restaurant business, as many Chinese restaurants surfaced soon after the immigration boom. By the 1970s other Chinese businesses began to emerge, such as medicine shops, Chinese supermarkets, as well as financial and legal services, all serving the employees of the expanding number of Chinese restaurants in the area. The area has retained
5031-590: The vestry , canons' library and western porches in 1898; while Percy Worthington provided further accommodation to the South-east, originally as a choir school, but subsequently converted to offices. Consequently, the cathedral gives the impression of being a 19th-century structure. To accommodate upgrading work on the cathedral's heating system, in 2013 a temporary wooden cathedral was built on Victoria Street to allow worship to take place. The nave roof brackets are supported by fourteen angel sculptures, each playing
5148-435: The 1910s and 1920s. In the 1930s, it was finally decided not to erect a new building on the former hospital site, but to turn it into a public garden. The area was landscaped and a sunken garden was laid out on the footprint of the former hospital basement, with formal flower beds, a rose garden and flowering cherry trees . In the centre of the new gardens the Corporation placed a bronze sculpture entitled Adrift , depicting
5265-409: The 1930s. The Manchester Public Free Library Reference Department was housed on the site for a number of years before the move to Manchester Central Library in 1934. Following the demolition of the hospital, the use of the empty site was uncertain for some years. There was a proposal to erect a new municipal art gallery on the site, and plans were drawn up by the architect Ernest Berry Webber for
5382-440: The 1990s, the sunken garden had fallen out of favour. It was considered by some to be an unwelcoming space, cut off from the main city activity, and its secluded aspect attracted alcoholicsm, vagrants and drug users. Following the 1996 Manchester bombing , an urban renewal programme was initiated across the city centre. Manchester City Council initiated an international competition for the redesign of Piccadilly Gardens, and in 1998
5499-509: The 19th century restoration of the nave, the clavicymbal and organ were inadvertently transposed; as otherwise the south side has stringed instruments, and the north side mostly wind instruments. Only the organ presents an instrument that would commonly have been heard in church in the early 16th century; the other instruments would have been more typically used to accompany secular songs and dances. All these instruments, however, might well have been heard accompanying mystery play performances in
5616-399: The 2003 landscaping, Manchester City Council announced a fresh urban design competition to redesign Piccadilly Gardens once again. The council has stated that the aim of the £25 million project will be to create a "world class" public space with a "uniquely Mancunian" identity. It is planned that the winning bid will be announced in spring 2023. Piccadilly Gardens is a major transport hub on
5733-565: The City Art Gallery on Mosley Street. During World War II , many warehouse buildings along Parker Street on the southern side of Piccadilly Gardens were destroyed by bombing during the Manchester Blitz . As part of the urban renewal in the aftermath of the war, The City of Manchester Plan was published by the City Corporation in 1945, which envisaged widespread redevelopment of the city centre. A "people’s place" entertainments centre
5850-515: The City's sense of place, providing aesthetic quality and strong references to the City's past, which will always be a central part of Manchester's character. Development which fails to respond to the opportunities that this context affords should not be supported. Recent development, including Urbis and the Courts of Justice , has demonstrated how modern architecture of the highest standard can succeed alongside
5967-556: The Collyhurst sandstone, but also because of an ill-advised attempt to lighten the interior by coating the internal surfaces of the nave with Roman cement by John Palmer. The external stonework was replaced between 1850 and 1870 in a restoration by J. S. Crowther , who also replaced the internal stonework of the nave walls and arcades with exact reproductions of the originals. The west tower was heightened in 1868 by J.P. Holden, who also replaced its external stonework. Basil Champneys added
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#17328526100556084-472: The French throne. The college of priests was housed in new buildings on the site of the former manor house that survive as Chetham's Library paid for by de la Warre. He appointed John Huntingdon as the college's first warden who, between 1422 and 1458, rebuilt the eastern arm of the parish church to provide the collegiate choir . Huntington's monumental brass (much restored) is laid on the chancel floor. Huntington
6201-728: The Jesus Chapel in 1506. On the north side, William Radcliffe of Ordsall Hall endowed the Holy Trinity Chapel in the northwest corner in 1498. Huntington left money and land for the St James' Chapel which was built in 1507. The largest of the chantries, the St John the Baptist Chapel, was begun by James Stanley the Bishop of Ely in 1513. The attached funerary chapel for James Stanley, the Ely Chapel,
6318-461: The Manchester's industrial era. Today, Castlefield is quiet and noted for its waterside bars and pubs. Notable structures include Manchester Liverpool Road station which was the first inter-city railway station on the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830. Today the station frontage remains and is Grade I listed, as is the adjoining 1830s warehouse . The structure now forms part of
6435-697: The Mosley family. In 1755, with the assent of Sir Oswald Mosley, the Manchester Royal Infirmary was built here. In 1763, the Manchester Royal Lunatic Asylum was built next to the Manchester Royal Infirmary. It later moved to Cheadle in 1849, and is now Cheadle Royal Hospital . In 1854, the area was laid out by the Manchester Corporation as a public esplanade, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton . The "Daub Holes" were turned into
6552-518: The UK. All the Victorian stained glass was destroyed during the Manchester Blitz in 1940. Until the late 1960s, only two windows had been replaced, notably the Fire Window by Margaret Traherne (1966). The dean and chapter commissioned Tony Hollaway to prepare a scheme for reglazing the cathedral, with priority to the five western windows: St George (1973), St Denys (1976), St Mary (1980), The Creation (1991) and The Apocalypse (1995). To commemorate
6669-542: The United Kingdom. The area has been extensively redeveloped after the IRA bomb of 1996 and contains Manchester Cathedral , Shambles Square , Exchange Square and Cathedral Gardens , as well as shopping streets Market Street and King Street . Since the bomb, Selfridges, Marks & Spencer and NEXT have opened dedicated large stores in the area. Not all shops are strictly in the retail area with many in Deansgate and King Street –
6786-596: The Wardens and fellows of the Collegiate church maintained their legal right to a fee of 3s. 6d. for all marriages conducted within their parish; so, unless a couple were able and willing to pay two sets of marriage fees, the only place in Manchester where a marriage might legally be contracted was the collegiate church. In practice, this religious duty fell on the pastoral chaplain employed by the Warden and fellows; who from 1790 to 1821
6903-466: The administratively separate City of Salford , and an area of Oxford Road to the south. Political and economic ties between the city centre and neighbouring Salford and Trafford have strengthened with the shift from town and district centres to metropolitan-level centres in England. Manchester city centre is the commercial heart of Greater Manchester and with adjoining parts of Salford and Trafford
7020-404: The area was levelled out and reconfigured in 2002 with a water feature and concrete pavilion by Japanese architect Tadao Ando . Piccadilly Gardens are located in Manchester city centre , just to the south of the Northern Quarter . The green space is bounded on four sides by streets: Mosley Street to the west, Parker Street to the south and Portland Street to the east; along the northern side
7137-450: The area was occupied by water-filled clay pits called the "Daub Holes". The street running along the northern edge was then called Lever's Row, later renamed Piccadilly . In the 18th century, Sir Oswald Mosley, 2nd Baronet, of Rolleston , Lord of the Manor of Manchester, donated the land to the city on condition that it should remain in public use in perpetuity, on pain of the land reverting to
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#17328526100557254-423: The bride kept place in the queue; but if there was one groom too few when a group of couples were lined up in front of the altar, Brookes notoriously would countenance no delay, but would continue the marriage with any passer-by (or even one of the other grooms) as a proxy stand-in. Brookes is commonly reckoned to have conducted more marriages, funerals and christenings than any English clergyman before or since. As
7371-504: The castle with a fortified manor house , which in turn was replaced by a college of priests (founded in 1421). In 1547 the college was dissolved and the property acquired by the Earl of Derby and early in the reign of King Charles II it was sold to the governors who had been appointed in the will of Humphrey Chetham . By royal charter in 1665 Chetham's Hospital was established and this became Chetham's School of Music . Manchester city centre
7488-416: The cathedral's south porch costing £3 million was opened by Elizabeth II . It has a shop and an exhibition room. The main attraction is the 15th-century Hanging Bridge , a scheduled monument , that was once the main approach to the church but was buried for more than 100 years. In the course of the 19th century restorations of the interior, the cathedral was provided with an organ mounted over
7605-615: The centre's principal retail streets and King Street (with high-class shops) and St Ann's Square are known for their specialist fashion and other shops. There is also a large indoor shopping mall called the Manchester Arndale Centre . Manchester city centre has several large department stores including Marks and Spencer on Market Street, House of Fraser on Deansgate, Harvey Nichols on New Cathedral Street and Selfridges in Exchange Square. There are many leisure facilities in
7722-600: The centrepiece of the new sunken gardens. It remained there until 1953, when it was relocated to the south end of the gardens. It was replaced with a commemorative fountain to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . When the Salford painter L. S. Lowry created his 1954 oil painting Piccadilly Gardens , the Coronation Fountain is clearly visible in the centre of the view amid the sunken flower beds. The painting hangs in
7839-399: The chancel arcades and clerestory of the cathedral are attributed to John Wastell , the architect for the completion of Kings College Chapel, Cambridge . The choir stalls, carved at the workshop of William Brownflet of Ripon , are the finest of a series which includes the surviving stalls at Ripon Cathedral , Beverley Minster and Bridlington Priory . The carving of the misericord seats
7956-471: The city centre but with the opening of the Manchester Arndale in the 1970s patronage gradually dwindled and vacant buildings were commonplace. In the late 1980s the area was renamed as the Northern Quarter in the hope that the area would be reincarnated from the ground up. Following the boom of the late 90s and early 2000s the area has become a popular destination for shops, bars, restaurants and nightclub – many of which have an independent ethos. The opening of
8073-461: The city centre including the Printworks , a large facility containing a cinema (including an IMAX screen), numerous bars, clubs and restaurants and also Manchester's first Hard Rock Cafe . The Northern Quarter , centred on Oldham Street, is known for its Bohemian atmosphere and independent shops and cafes. The landscaping of the city centre has provided several public spaces including Piccadilly Gardens , which incorporates fountains, green spaces,
8190-443: The city centre prime office space with 44 commercial organisation employing nearly 20,000 people. Notable buildings in the area include 1 The Avenue , 3 Hardman Street and the Civil Justice Centre – short-listed for the Stirling Prize and noted as a landmark building for its distinctive cantilevers. Future buildings include the Cotton Building and construction commenced in summer 2014 and will be completed by 2016. Construction on
8307-443: The city centre was required. The 2CC runs from Victoria station to St Peter's Square via Exchange Square, Corporation Street, Cross Street and Princess Street. Utility works on re-routing gas and water supplies began in January 2014 and lasted for over a year. The works impacted heavily on parts of the city centre with streets and pavements closed off and awkward diversions introduced. There are also 2 major bus interchanges located in
8424-563: The city centre with termini at Altrincham , Ashton-under-Lyne , Bury , East Didsbury , Eccles , Manchester Airport , MediaCityUK , Rochdale and the Trafford Centre . A new line through the city centre was recently constructed. Metrolink stops in the city centre currently are: Two stations used to serve the city centre but have been closed: To facilitate the Metrolink expansion and increased tram frequency an alternative route through
8541-409: The city centre; Manchester Piccadilly bus station and Shudehill Interchange which all serve local bus services to areas in the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, as well as some from the surrounding counties of Cheshire , Lancashire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire . Chorlton Street coach station provides long-distance coach services operated by National Express to cities across Great Britain. Shudehill
8658-615: The collegiate church provided for an endowed choir of lay clerks and singing boys ; and these endowments were renewed when the college was refounded after the Reformation. However, although from the 17th century, there were two grammar schools close by - Manchester Grammar School and Chetham's Hospital School - there was, until the 20th century no provision for a choir school; dedicated choir school premises only being constructed by Percy Worthington in 1934. This school did not resume following war damage; so in 1969, when Chetham's School
8775-478: The confines of Great Ancoats Street , A6042 Trinity Way, and A57(M) Mancunian Way , which collectively form an inner ring road . The City Centre ward had a population of 17,861 at the 2011 census . Manchester city centre evolved from the civilian vicus of the Roman fort of Mamucium , on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell . This became the township of Manchester during
8892-507: The derelict Odeon site and London Scottish House adjacent to the Midland Hotel. As part of the redevelopment, the Cenotaph was relocated outside Manchester Town Hall in 2014 and St Peter's Square tram stop was redeveloped with an additional platform and new configuration in 2016. Chinatown is an area to the south of Piccadilly Gardens with many oriental restaurants and other facilities of
9009-596: The established built fabric of the City Centre. Castlefield is an area in the extreme southwest between Deansgate and the River Irwell with the sites of the Roman fort and Liverpool Road Railway Station. It retains much of its industrial character and is the only Urban Heritage Park in the United Kingdom, and is marked by its mercantile 19th warehouses and adjoining wharfs which were used to transport goods from Manchester during
9126-542: The eve of a Chinese immigration wave that would commence during the 1950s. Manchester did not have a significant Chinese population, reaching only about 2,000. However, after World War II , there were severe labour shortages, and in response, the government passed the British Nationality Act 1948 , which allowed easier access into the country. Additionally, Hong Kong's rapid urbanisation meant that many farmers and traditional residents' homes were being destroyed by
9243-543: The figure for the City of Manchester (34.0%) but slightly above that of the whole of England (28.9%). The ward had a significantly higher percentage of adults with a diploma or degree than the city or England as a whole. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 26.3% had an educational qualification such as first degree, higher degree, qualified teacher status, qualified medical doctor, qualified dentist, qualified nurse, midwife, or health visitor, compared to 21.4% in Manchester and 19.9% nationwide. Deansgate and Market Street are
9360-545: The first chancery , the St Nicholas Chancery. In 1311, the Grelley estate passed by marriage to the de la Warres . In 1349 the St Nicholas Chancery was endowed by the de Traffords . In 1382 Thomas de la Warre became its rector . The church had a six- bay aisled nave and six-bay chancel with aisles and a west tower in the perpendicular style of the late-medieval period. Thomas de la Warre became Baron de la Warre in 1398. A priest for more than 50 years, he
9477-462: The food and drink offering with a number of popular restaurants and bars in the area. Footfall, particularly in the evening after work hours, has increased, and revenue from retail and leisure in Spinningfields has risen from £10 million in 2008 to £50 million in 2014. Piccadilly is the transport interchange of the city centre with rail, tram and bus services all within a five-minute walk. The area
9594-745: The former Hill organ installed in 1871 Details of the former Harrison organ installed in 1952 Current Tickell 'Stoller' organ installed in 2016 over the pulpitum screen, from the National Pipe Organ Register Organist and Master of the Choristers: Christopher Stokes. Sub Organist: Geoffrey Woollatt. Notable previous organists include Edward Betts (d.1767), Joseph John Harris (1848–1869), Frederick Bridge (1869–75), Sydney Nicholson (1908–1919), Norman Cocker (1943–1954), Allan Wicks (1954–1962) and Gordon Stewart (1981–1992). The 1421 foundation statutes of
9711-596: The gardens by 11%. Its construction helped to fund the gardens redevelopment scheme. The Piccadilly Gardens project was shortlisted in 2003 for the British Construction Industry Awards . Problems subsequently emerged with the redesigned gardens. The grassed areas frequently become damaged and turn to mud after some public use; and must be re-turfed regularly. The design has been criticised for its "cold, modernistic" style. Tadao Ando's concrete partition wall has proved unpopular and has been likened to
9828-411: The impetus for the redevelopment of the city centre and an upturn in retail, leisure, offices and urban living. The economy of the city centre is built primarily on retail and services, accounting for nearly 40% of Grade-A city centre office space outside London. Manchester evolved from the civilian vicus associated with the Roman fort of Mamucium , which was established c. AD 79 on
9945-467: The largest of Manchester warehouses: Watts Warehouse (architects Travis & Mangnall). From 2013 to 2015, the Wheel of Manchester was based in the square. A number of statues stand around Piccadilly Gardens commemorating noted figures. These four statues stand on what was the esplanade of the infirmary and were erected at different times before the hospital closed: John Cassidy's 1907 sculpture Adrift
10062-460: The levels above (once the home of Piccadilly Radio ) are available. The Thistle Hotel stands on the south-eastern side of Piccadilly Gardens . The hotel was originally three cotton warehouses (with a fourth standing to the left) which made up the four warehouses designed by Edward Walters between 1851 and 1858. Also, there is the Grade II* listed Britannia Hotel on Portland Street which was formerly
10179-399: The medieval lady chapel and James Stanley's chantry chapel. All stained-glass windows were blown out, the organ-case over the pulpitum was destroyed, and the medieval choir stalls toppled inwards so as to meet one another. It took almost 20 years to complete the repairs, in the course of which the Lady Chapel was rebuilt to the designs of Hubert Worthington and the St John the Baptist Chapel
10296-562: The medieval pulpitum in an elaborate case designed by George Gilbert Scott . This instrument was destroyed in the Christmas Blitz of 1940, and was replaced in 1952 with an organ built into the north and south choir aisles. In 2016, this organ was itself replaced by an entirely new instrument, once again mounted over the pulpitum, and funded from the Stoller foundation. The new organ case and letterings were designed by Stephen Raw. Details of
10413-614: The new Shambles Square adjacent to Manchester Cathedral . There are a great variety of restaurants in the city centre. There are also a good stock of hotels in the city centre which include the Midland , the Hilton within the Beetham Tower , and Kimpton Clocktower . Manchester city centre has many nightclubs, many of which follow in the footsteps of the Haçienda nightclub which has now closed;
10530-403: The new Diocese of Manchester which came into effect in 1847. Initial proposals for a new cathedral to be built to the designs of R. C. Carpenter on Piccadilly Gardens were not proceeded with. The building was extensively renovated in 1882. During the Manchester Blitz in 1940, a German bomb exploded a few yards from the north-east corner, severely damaging the cathedral roofs and demolishing
10647-483: The population of Manchester increased further; so the numbers of christenings, weddings and funerals celebrated in the collegiate church also grew. In 1838, there were 5,164 christenings, 1,457 funerals, and 2,615 weddings. Under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1840 , the warden and fellows of the collegiate church were translated into a dean and canons in preparation for becoming the cathedral of
10764-611: The predecessor parish church between the Rivers Irk and Irwell and an ancient watercourse crossed by the Hanging Bridge started in 1215 within the confines of the Baron's Court beside the manor house on the site of Manchester Castle . The lords of the manor were the Grelleys whose coat of arms is still associated with the cathedral. The Grelleys acted as stewards, building and endowing
10881-416: The redevelopment of the site, Parker Street Bus Station was opened on the south side of the gardens, and was extended in 1935. This provided a central transport interchange for bus passengers. In 1991, construction work began on a new light rail transport network, Manchester Metrolink . New tram lines were laid along the southern and western sides of Piccadilly Gardens, and a new tram stop constructed. By
10998-664: The renovated Mercure Hotel (formerly known as the Ramada Manchester Piccadilly and Jarvis Piccadilly Hotel); the refurbishment was completed in 2008. The huge tower block, originally known as Sunley Tower, was renamed City Tower . In 2005 the Plaza underwent large-scale remodelling with recladding of the tower and cleaning of concrete façades. The whole complex has benefited from increased investment from Bruntwood Ltd , which bought Piccadilly Plaza in 2004–05, and now several retail outlets on ground level, and large office space on
11115-479: The restoration of the cathedral following an IRA bomb in 1996, the Healing Window by Linda Walton was installed in 2004. The ten bells in the cathedral tower hung for change ringing were cast by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon in 1925. The tenor (largest) bell weighs 1.3 tonnes and the bells are tuned to the key of D. The bells are rung for church service on Sunday mornings and on special occasions including
11232-493: The site has been redeveloped as a housing complex. There is a gay village around the Canal Street area in the east of the city centre, which plays host to an annual Gay Pride Festival, and a large Chinatown with numerous far eastern style restaurants. The area to the west which is bisected by Deansgate and crossed by Peter Street is also well-provided with bars and some clubs (e.g. The Moon under Water and Ampersand). Rafters
11349-598: The site of St Ann's Church , was destroyed by Danish invaders in 923 and a church dedicated to St Mary , built by King Edward the Elder , possibly where St Mary's Gate joins Exchange Street, was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The Domesday Book entry for Manchester reads "the Church of St Mary and the Church of St Michael hold one carucate of land in Manchester exempt from all customary dues except tax". Construction of
11466-408: The street, and in popular religious processions. The cathedral has thirty 16th-century misericords , considered to be among the finest in Europe. They are similar in style to those at Ripon Cathedral and Beverley Minster . Although Manchester's are of a later date, they were probably carved by the same school at Ripon. One of the most notable is N-08, the earliest known depiction of backgammon in
11583-478: The structure so severely that most internal and external stonework had to be replaced in the later 19th century restorations in buff-grey Fletcher Bank Grit from Ramsbottom . The nave floors have, since the 1960s, been relaid in limestone from the Peak District which contains crinoid fossils . By the 1840s the external and internal stonework was in a poor state, partly due to the poor weathering qualities of
11700-401: The whole of Manchester (this is the ancient parish, including almost the whole area of the modern City of Manchester excepting Wythenshawe ), an area which in 1821 had a population of 187,031. Within this vast parish there were considerable numbers of chapels of ease and proprietary chapels for parochial worship – as well as other chapels for dissenters and Roman Catholics . Nevertheless,
11817-474: The winners were announced from a shortlist of six. The landscape architects EDAW were the successful bidders, along with their design partners Arup , the Japanese architect Tadao Ando , local architects Chapman Robinson and lighting engineer Peter Fink. Between 2001 and 2003, the gardens were redeveloped by EDAW, with aim of creating a " world class " public space for a twenty-four-hour city. The overall cost
11934-513: Was a nightclub located in St James's Buildings . A number of bands played concerts at Rafters in the 1970s and 1980s. Rafters closed in 1983. In its final years the DJ was Mike Shaft who appeared on Piccadilly Radio with Takin' Care of Business . After that the club was renamed as Jilly's which existed to 1993, after which the club was called MusicBox. The city centre also has many bars, mostly located in
12051-513: Was constructed along the north and south sides of the church creating a double aisle around the parochial nave, which is consequently much wider than it is long. Manchester is commonly claimed to have the widest nave of any cathedral in England. On the south side, the oldest of the chantry chapels , the St Nicholas Chapel, was rebuilt by the de Traffords in 1470. St George's Chapel was endowed by William Galley in 1503 and Richard Beswick endowed
12168-403: Was created with a landscaped garden set into the ground – hence the name. The area has a dedicated tram station and bus station which has over 20 stands. Most of the stands are located on the south-west side of the square with the rest on the north side. Peter's Fields, now known as St Peter's Square sits at the top of Oxford Road and Peter Street and extends east towards Princess Street . It
12285-538: Was destroyed by bombing in 1940. The brass from atop Stanley's tombchest was rescued from the wreckage, and remounted vertically against the rebuilt north wall of the Regiment Chapel. The western chapels are no longer demarcated, as the screens that divided them have been removed giving the appearance of double aisles on either side of the nave. Until 1850, the Collegiate Church remained the parish church for
12402-407: Was erected along with a curved concrete wall to obscure the tram line. Selected species of trees were planted including London Plane , fastigiated oak , flowering pear and magnolia . Most of the original statues were retained in situ. A new seven-storey office building designed by Allies and Morrison , One Piccadilly Gardens , was erected on the eastern side of the gardens, reducing the size of
12519-475: Was granted a licence from King Henry V and Pope Martin V to establish a collegiate church in Manchester in 1421. The college was established by royal charter, with a warden, eight fellows, four singing clerks and eight choristers. The parish church was dedicated to St Mary and to that dedication were added St George , the patron saint of England, and St Denys , the patron saint of France, perhaps reflecting de la Warre's French heritage, or Henry V's claim to
12636-406: Was keen to redevelop the city centre after the 1996 Manchester bombing . The development, named from a narrow street which ran westwards from Deansgate, is bounded by Bridge Street to the north, Quay Street to the south, Deansgate to the east, and the River Irwell to the west. The area is noted for glazed, modern buildings – many of which are offices. In 2010, Spinningfields accounted for 35% of
12753-441: Was lower than the population density for the whole city (8,798 inhabitants per square mile (3,397/km )), the proportion of land dedicated to domestic buildings was lower in the ward than in the whole city (6.7% compared to 8.0%). There was a female-to-male ratio of 100 to 113, much higher than the 100 to 95 ratio for all England. Of those over 16 years old, 65.7% were single (never married), 13.7% married, and 8.7% divorced; this
12870-572: Was opened so the bus system was directional. Manchester Cathedral Manchester Cathedral , formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George , in Manchester , England, is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Manchester , seat of the Bishop of Manchester and the city's parish church . It is on Victoria Street in Manchester city centre and
12987-575: Was proposed for Piccadilly Gardens, encompassing a cinema, a theatre, dance halls, an ice-skating rink, a boxing stadium and restaurants, and the surrounding gardens were to be floodlit. The plan was mostly unrealised. Between 1959 and 1965 the empty bombsite on Parker Street was redeveloped and a complex of Modernist buildings was erected, collectively known as Piccadilly Plaza : the Piccadilly Hotel, Sunley House and Bernard House, designed by Covell, Matthews & Partners . In 1931, as part of
13104-698: Was refitted as the regimental chapel for the Manchester Regiment . The cathedral was again damaged in the IRA bombing in June 1996. The cathedral houses extensive parish and historical archives , dating back to 1421. In 2003, a project began to provide an exhaustive catalogue of the archive's contents to the public. The cathedral was granted Grade I listed building status in January 1952. Grade I structures are considered to be "buildings of exceptional interest". The cathedral
13221-831: Was removed from Piccadilly Gardens in 2003 to make way for the construction of the One Piccadilly Gardens office block; it now stands in front of the Central Library in St Peter's Square . The 1953 Coronation Fountain was removed during the 2002 redesign of the gardens and has been installed in Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield . Manchester city centre Manchester City Centre is the central business district of Manchester , in Greater Manchester , England, within
13338-499: Was significantly different from the national figures of 30.2% single, 43.5% married, and 8.2% divorced. The ward's 6,188 households included 61.1% one-person, 8.6% married couples living together, 9.0% were co-habiting couples, and 12.4% single parents with their children; compared to national figures, there was a high proportion of single person households, and a low proportion of married couples living together. Of those aged 16–74, 30.5% had no academic qualifications , lower than
13455-457: Was the eccentric figure of the Revd. Joshua 'Jotty' Brookes . In 1821 a total of 1,924 marriages were solemnized in the collegiate church; commonly in batches of a score or more. The couples to be married were most often desperately poor but Brookes was no respecter of status, so all were subjected to his ' production line ' methods. Commonly, the groom and friends would decamp to a nearby ale-house while
13572-418: Was uncertain when Elizabeth I succeeded in 1559, but was assured when she granted a new charter in 1578, allowing a warden, four fellows, two chaplains, four singing men and four choristers. The dedication of the college (but not the church) was changed to the college of Christ . Manchester and Southwell Minster were the only two medieval collegiate foundations where daily choral worship was maintained after
13689-424: Was £20.7 million. The 1930s sunken garden was removed and filled in to create a flat plane of lawns. New paths were laid along geometric lines and arcs, surfaced in sandstone and blue Welsh slate. At the centre, a large oval fountain plaza was installed, equipped with computer-controlled fountain jets. On the south side, adjacent to the tram and bus interchange, a new concrete modernist pavilion designed by Tadao Ando
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