Manchester walking tour

This scavenger hunt has a difficulty level of Normal.

Your group’s size should be between 2 and 6 persons. In fact, children are welcome.

After purchase, to begin your Manchester walking tour, direct yourself to St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 3AA, United Kingdom. This is the start location.

Once there, log in to this website on your smartphone and begin your hunt.

Also, you’ll need a fully charged smartphone connected to the Internet (LTE or 4G with a data plan; Wi-Fi isn’t available throughout). Instructions will be supplied on-screen, along with directions and challenges, as well as some historical information.

Ancient History

Brigantes, a Celtic tribe, were established here where Manchester Cathedral now stands when the Romans conquered Britain in the 1st century.

Romans left the area in the 3rd century and a small settlement remained. They relocated to the confluence of the Irwell and Irk rivers before the arrival of the Normans in the 11th century.

The town grew slowly, adding a market in 1282, building a cathedral by 1421, and Chetham’s Library in 1653.

Manchester favoured Parliamentary interests during the English Civil War (1642-51). The Irwell and Mersey rivers were enlarged and dredged so boats could navigate from the sea in the 18th century, which led it to become an important textile (wool & cotton) marketplace.

Modern History

The city grew very rapidly during the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution. It became the first industrial city in the world. 

In 1888, a new canal helped sustain this growth, allowing larger ocean vessels to reach Manchester. This led to many different movements for the betterment of the lower classes, from food riots to Marxist left-wing politics, the evolution of Trades Unions, the beginnings of the Labour Party, and the Suffragette movement.

In 1913, Manchester still processed 65% of the world’s cotton, but the Great War (1914-18) put an end to that. With processing done in many other areas around the world, the city suffered, accentuated by the Great Depression.

World War II saw the destruction of large parts of the historic city center. Having become an important bomb and aircraft engine manufacturing city, it was a highly prized target by the Germans.

The port, the third-largest in the UK in 1963, closed in 1982 as the canals could no longer accommodate the ever-bigger ocean container ships.