Manchester...the sequel

see all photos »

It has been put off far too long, so here it is, the sequel to our Manchester trip. If I’m not mistaken, we last left off with the end of the Man Utd game, and headed on back to our hotel for a well deserved nights rest. We rose early the next morning (well early for us anyway) and made short work of the complimentary full English breakfast buffet. After ensuring that our caffeine levels were back up to a safe level and determined to soak up every sight and sound Manchester had to offer, we checked out of the hotel and headed towards the tram stop.

see all photos »

The transportation in Manchester is not quite as extensive as the London underground, it’s basically restricted to the tram and bus system, but of course Manchester itself is not as extensive as London, which could explain why it was so cheap. Our first destination was the Cathedral so we got off at the central station and cut through Urbis square, which is a kind of open area flanked by a bizarre looking sloped glass building on one side and on the other, a medieval monastic building which has been preserved and converted into an important music academy. Not far from this tranquil little area we found the cathedral and its surrounding buildings and garden.

Here in London we have seen our fair share of great churches, some more inspiring than others, but all of them unique in their own variations. To be frank, I really didn’t expect much from Manchester cathedral as I was aware that most of Manchester’s history really lay with the development of industry, and that before that era it was not a cultural centre. I was mistaken. Manchester cathedral was one of the best preserved churches we’ve come across, parts of it date well into the early middle ages and most of its older oak sections are still in perfect condition despite other sections damaged during bombing campaigns by the German Luftwaffe and the IRA. It was beautiful, the roof bosses and the solid oak arcade were some of the more ornate woodwork I have yet to see, and we were particularly impressed by the host of carved angels above the main section, each with a gold string or wind instrument depending on which side of the church they sat. A member of the congregation who was working the desk was very kind, and pointed out some of the key aspects that made this cathedral unique and kind of gave us a short tour, something that no one does in London free of charge.

We headed out from the Cathedral and scouted out the quaint little churchyard and had a stop at one of the two historic pubs next to the yard. We chose the Old Wellington (not its original name), arguably one of the oldest building in Manchester, though restored and actually moved from its original foundation when it was damaged by an IRA bomb . The pub was cosy and much of the original beams and boards do give it a very nice atmosphere, and the ale wasn’t too bad either! From the pub we made our way past Manchester’s answer to London’s Piccadilly Circus, a large screen showing continual BBC coverage and a ¼ scale version of the London eye. It makes for a nice scene with the cathedral spire and the Old Wellington in the background.

From here we were off to find two churches that our friend at Manchester Cathedral recommended to us. Both were beautiful, one had good stained glass windows and the other one (the hidden gem) has some gorgeous marble work. It was a nice walk from place to place and the weather was ironically the nicest we’ve had since our arrival in England. From one place to the other Manchester’s stone streets are littered with monuments dedicated to royalty and the great figures of its past, especially those involved with its formation during the Industrial revolution. This of course would bore your average human to death (not me though, I loved it), but not too worry, for those who couldn’t care less about Cobbett and his contemporaries there is plenty for the compulsive shopper. Thus Ange the shopper and Cam the geek/pub fiend were able to coexist and equally enjoy the routes through Manchester’s city centre. I would drag her out of the stores, prying boots from her clenched, white knuckled fingers, and she would reciprocate, by dragging me away from each monument and pub, eyes glazed over, a bit drool or froth at the mouth. We made quite the pair.

Our journeys led us back to the town hall, though on the other side of the building where the square is. The building is impressive and done in the neo gothic style, and the surrounding town square is quite beautiful, it is complimented by both a massive fountain and a large intricate monument of Prince Albert. We had been informed (back at the cathedral) that we could actually go inside the hall and poke around, and so of course we had a look inside. Low vaulted stone ceilings, a gallery of marble busts and several full size knights greeted us on the inside. This building was one of the highlights of our tour, though it was an unfinished affair as we were unfortunate enough to pick a day when everything but the main lobby and first floor was made unavailable to the public. Nevertheless we enjoyed what sections we did visit.

From here we trekked to the people’s history museum, a museum dedicated to the workers and labouring classes of Manchester, from the birth of industry to modern day trade unionism and labour government. We had a look at banners, exhibitions and historical artifacts relating to the trials and tribulations of the factory system, and listened to readings from artisan guild oaths. I was particularly interested in the Peterloo Massacre exhibition as it related ( somewhat) to what I would like to study, and Ange seemed to be quite adept at completing the little tasks available, she would have made one helluva box maker, bridge builder, or badge stamper, very versatile. I on the other hand was useless.

Thus, as our day wound down we made our way back to the coach station while of course making a few stops along the way to peruse the shops and malls. All in all our Manchester expedition turned out to be a big success and I would recommend such a trip to anyone interested in travelling through England. Now all we had to do is survive the coach ride home, but I won’t bore anyone any further with that.