Manchester Cathedral

Manchester you’ll be surprised to learn, was founded by the Romans around 80 AD. It gained a town charter in 1301 and became a city in 1853.

The Cathedral started its life as a parish church around 1215. It is possible that the church was built on the ruins of an earlier church, with parts of the building dated to around 700 AD. In 1421, it became a collegiate church which it remained until becoming a cathedral.

The church went through many renovations with major restoration in the 19th century as it was in poor condition due to the weathering of its sandstone and an earlier attempt to improve the interior. There were further renovations after WW II due to the damage caused by the bombing which destroyed the Victorian stained glass. In the 1960s the floors of the naves were replaced with limestone from the Peak District.

The cathedral is very close to Manchester City centre and is an oasis of calm in such a busy city.

It was one of Manchester’s famous rainy days when I was there, here are a few photos of it.