Spending a Day in Manchester, England

After having our flight from Manchester to Heathrow cancelled due to mechanical difficulties, and then finding out that we couldn’t get a flight that would connect us to our Vancouver departure from Heathrow, we ended up with 24 hours in Manchester. We booked ourselves an airport hotel for two nights and decided to make the most of our unexpected day here. The direct train from the airport to Manchester Victoria Station will get you right to the heart of the city where you can easily explore the cathedral, museums, shops and restaurants.

Our first destination was Manchester Cathedral. Walking to the church took us past the Glade of Light Memorial, a garden dedicated to the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. Built in 2022 it commemorates each of the 22 victims and is a reminder of the resilience of the city of Manchester.

Manchester Cathedral is a stunning Gothic church that was originally built in 1215. Over the years it has been added onto and restored, as well as having parts of it rebuilt after World War II when a portion of the cathedral was destroyed. Outside the church the imposing clock tower at the entrance welcomes visitors and worshippers and invites them to enter and explore the interior.

There are numerous chapels within the cathedral as well as a choir aisle with a newer organ that was installed in 2016 and some of the most stunning stained glass windows I have ever seen.

Back outside you can grab a coffee and a snack and enjoy the exterior grounds that surround the church.

The city of Manchester dates back to around 79 AD when a Roman fort was built near the center of the town. Over the years the city slowly expanded until the 1800’s when the Industrial Revolution brought with it a growing population. Manchester was considered the largest area for cotton processing and became a major hub for textile production during the 19th century. During the Second World War many of the historic buildings were bombed with warehouses, businesses and homes needing to be rebuilt. A building boom began in the 1980’s but when an IRA attack in 1996 destroyed a large area of the downtown core, the city had to once again rally and regenerate. Walking along the streets of Manchester the blend of old and new architecture is very evident and provides lots to look at!

We walked along Deansgate, a main street in the city, to the John Rylands Research Institute and Library. This library, part of the University of Manchester, houses some of the world’s most incredible fine books, manuscripts and archives, and is free to visit.

A lot of time was spent here just browsing the artifacts on display and being in awe of the sheer volume of books. There were old copies of medical journals and bibles…

…as well as page fragments from ancient manuscripts…

…and books, books, and more books.

Built in the late 1890’s and opened in 1900 the library is mainly neo-Gothic in style with ornate arches and ceilings in the corridors as well as the main library and reading rooms.

Statues above the reading rooms are of literary and artistic greats from the past such as Shakespeare and Goethe.

There was even the Dewey Decimal System for locating books…and an old printing press.

We could have spent a lot more time meandering around Manchester, however our day was drawing to a close and it was almost time to catch the train back to the airport…but first a stop in the Hard Rock for a burger and fries. What a fun way to end our bonus day in Manchester!