Manchester's Medieval Quarter | a walking tour Shared Tour
ID: GYG1124786-1726563
Category:
Country: United Kingdom
Duration:
02:00 hours
Description
Part of a series of architect-led walking tours that read the city’s evolution… tracing change from Roman and medieval beginnings through to post-industrial reinvention and today’s new skyscrapers.
Using archival photos and maps alongside today’s streets, we’ll reveal what changed, why it changed, and what those decisions mean for people and place.
Walking from market stalls to marble halls, we trace how trade, resilience, and reinvention have continually reshaped Manchester’s core.
For this particular tour, we’ll begin at Manchester’s original Market Place, once the hub of trading life, before tracing the city’s rise through the great halls of the Royal Exchange and the railway stations that powered its global reach. Along the way we’ll pass the Cathedral and the medieval buildings of Chetham’s, places that have witnessed centuries of change.
This walk follows a city shaped by commerce, industry, and upheaval… where bombs and tragedies have scarred the streets but also brought people closer together. We’ll end back at Shambles Square, home to timber-framed survivors that have defied planners, disasters, and time itself, standing as symbols of Manchester’s resilience and reinvention.
Highlights
- Market Place & Shambles Square - the birthplace of the modern city
- The Royal Exchange - where the city grew through it's cotton trade
- The Corn Exchange - a place that has evolved hugely over the decades
- The Palatine Building & Chetham's Library - Medieval vs Victorian heritage
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This tour involves a 2-hour city walk, covering around 2km, so a moderate level of fitness is required.
We'll meet on the terraced area outside Harvey Nichols, on New Cathedral Street, opposite Shambles Square.
INCLUDED
- Guided walking tour led by a qualified architect
- Use of archival maps, photos and diagrams during the tour
- Insights into Manchester’s architectural and urban evolution
- Small group size for an interactive experience
- Start and end point clearly marked on the tour webpage
- Follow-up email with key references and recommended reading
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.
