Chetham's Library occupies a sandstone building constructed in fourteen twenty-one to house priests. It remains one of the most complete medieval complexes in the northwest of England. In sixteen fifty-three, the site became the location…
Radical Manchester Protest History
This walking tour guides you through the city center to the landmarks of Manchester's legacy as a hotbed of political rebellion, social reform, and workers' rights.
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1. Chetham's Library
2. Richard Cobden Statue
In St Ann’s Square stands a bronze statue of Richard Cobden, a man who became a towering figure in Manchester’s political life during the nineteenth century. The figure is larger than life-size and depicts Cobden addressing a meeting, with…
3. People's History Museum
The People’s History Museum is marked by the contrast of its architecture, blending a historic Victorian hydraulic pumping station with a modern extension wrapped in weathered, rusty-red Cor-Ten steel. Located on the Left Bank of the River…
4. Abraham Lincoln Statue
The bronze figure of Abraham Lincoln stands in Lincoln Square, identifiable by its stooped, thoughtful posture and hands clasped low across the midsection. Sculpted by the American artist George Grey Barnard, the statue presents a version…
5. Albert Square
Albert Square is defined by the imposing Victorian Gothic silhouette of the Manchester Town Hall, which occupies its eastern side. Laid out between eighteen sixty-three and eighteen sixty-seven, the square was created specifically to…
6. Friends' Meeting House
The Friends' Meeting House on Mount Street is defined by its austere classical facade, featuring four tall, unfluted Ionic columns that rise above a rusticated ground floor. Designed by the Quaker architect Richard Lane and completed in…
7. Free Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall on Peter Street is defined by its ornate, two-story Italian palazzo facade, featuring nine bays of arched windows and detailed stone carvings depicting figures of commerce and industry. Built between eighteen…
8. Peterloo Massacre Monument
The Peterloo Massacre Memorial is a wide, circular structure of eleven concentric steps rising from the pavement. Crafted from various British stones, including granites, sandstones, and slates, the monument is engraved with the names of…
9. Emmeline Pankhurst Statue
The bronze statue of Emmeline Pankhurst, officially titled Rise Up Women, stands in Saint Peter's Square depicting the suffragette leader balanced atop a household chair. With her arm outstretched, she gestures toward the nearby Free Trade…