The centre of Manchester is an area rich in social and cultural history.

Its buildings, streets, churches and alleyways chart the journey from the rise of Victorian wealth through to today’s vibrant metropolis, which is the most visited English city outside the capital.

So say the authors of Secret Manchester, Phil Page and Ian Littlemoss who in a series of six chapters take the reader and visitor on a whirlwind tour of the city centre.

Each chapter concentrates on one area.CastleField, the birthplace of Roman Manchester, the bohemian Northern Quarter, the civic splendor of Albert and St Peter’s Squares and the Georgian facade of St Ann’s.

It all here, the canals, the first railway station, the Victorian extravagance, the statues, through to the Hacienda, the Football Museum and the Hilton Tower.

Along the way there are some gems, the Hidden One, Thomas Mynshall’s House, and Newton’s Apple Tree and the stories,

The photographs are great as they should be as both the authors are professional photographers.

Phil Page tells the story behind the book

“We are photographers and were out in Manchester on a casual photo shoot one day. We wandered into St Ann’s Church and started chatting to the Reverend Nigel Ashworth. His knowledge about St Ann’s and its environment was immense and he pointed out things from even just standing at the door of the church which we had no idea about even though we’d visited the area countless times over the years. Then Ian and I started noticing all the statues and sculptures which were dotted around the city centre; Archimedes, Chopin, Alan Turing, Vimto, Abraham Lincoln. They all had their stories to tell. Most people pass them by without even a glance.”

The book is aimed at both people who who don’t know Manchester, say both the authors

“hence the guidebook layout with six manageable walks which take in lots of the key interesting places without too much walking” but also

“People who do know the city but would like a few more facts about the social and historical background to familiar places.”

As for there favourite parts of the city, according to Ian, the real gems of the city are the people themselves

“There were so many parts of the City that excited me. Each area of the City has its own unique history.I would like to say first that I found tI enjoyed finding out about the music in the Northern Quarter, being told about Dr John Dee at Manchester Cathedral, photographing the stained glass windows in the Mechanics Institute and finding Archimedes Statue in Granby Row.”

While for Phil:

“Finding out about the feats of Mark Addy, saving countless people from The Irwell was inspiring. He was the only civilian ever to be awarded the Albert Medal First Class and Queen Victoria presented it herself. Not many Mancunians can be aware of that achievement.”

Whether you can complete the tours in a day, of that I am not sure but for the visitor or the Manc who walks around with his eyes shut, the book is not to be missed.

“Secret Manchester by Phil Page and Ian Littlechilds is available to buy at all good bookstores, the Amberley Publishing website, Amazon and The Book Depository.”

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