Castlefield Viaduct & history tour

Schedule

Tue Jun 20 2023 at 05:00 pm to 06:30 pm

Location

Castlefield Viaduct | Manchester, EN

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A striking Victorian-era steel viaduct, on the way to becoming a green ‘sky park’ followed by a walking tour of historic, Roman Manchester.
About this Event

Welcome to Freshwalks

Join us in Castlefield, Manchester City Centre, for a very special Freshwalks guided tour event delivered in association with pro.manchester and Emma Fox of Show Me Manchester.

We've curated a 90 minutes urban experience to showcase the modern and ancient faces of this historic part of the city, once the site of the original Roman fortress, Mamucium.

Our guided tour experience will start within the confines of the National Trust's Castlefield Viaduct where we'll be given a private tour expected to last around 30 minutes before we head off for a one hour walking tour around Castlefield with Emma Fox.

At the end of the tour, we invite you to join us for some relaxed and informal drinks at a venue in or close to Castlefield TBC


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About Castlefield Viaduct

Visitors can enjoy Manchester’s new sky park after the National Trust transformed a giant 330 metre steel viaduct into an elevated park with trees, plants and flowers.

The temporary urban park is open for the 12 months with green spaces stretching across the elevation. During this time, visitors will have the opportunity to explore part of the structure and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage, the city’s long relationship with plants and trees and learn urban gardening tips. They’ll experience a variety of planting displays as they walk along the viaduct while enjoying the elevated setting above the historic cobbled streets. They’ll also see the park develop and evolve, responding to the different seasons.

The conservation charity hopes to inspire and capture visitor and community opinions to help shape the longer-term future of the Grade II listed structure. The plans for Castlefield Viaduct are part of the National Trust’s Urban Places work to increase access for all to nature, history and beauty in, around and near urban areas.

In addition to creating a place where people and nature meet, the new experience will also celebrate the industrial heritage of Castlefield which has been reflected through all elements of the design. The design of the planters gives a subtle nod to the industrial architecture of the viaduct which was built in 1892 by Heenan and Froude, the engineers who worked on Blackpool Tower. The shape of the planters mirrors the curve of the viaduct and their width is the same as the railway tracks that once transported goods across the structure to the Great Northern Warehouse.

A section of the viaduct has also been left untouched to provide a sense of how nature has reclaimed the space since the site closed in the late 1960s. Taking inspiration from what was already starting to grow naturally, much of the viaduct includes shrubs, ferns and grasses which frame the more colourful seasonal planting. Sections of the planting mimic the diamond shape of the viaduct’s criss-cross steelwork, achieved through diagonal blossom hedges and other plants.

Words from VisitManchester.com


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About pro-manchester

The largest business development organisation in the North West. Connecting, sharing and collaborating across GM and the North West for 35 years.

Governed by a non-executive Board of Directors made up of senior individuals from within our membership, we increase professional excellence through knowledge sharing, creating partnerships and staying ahead of the ever-changing business environment.

www.pro-manchester.co.uk


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Getting there (on foot)

Make your way to Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop. If approaching from Deansgate or Whitworth Street West, cross all the tram lines and turn left down the access road. Walk across the car park at the end following the pedestrian signs directing you to Castlefield Viaduct. Alternatively, if approaching from the Liverpool Road direction, climb the staircase just off Duke Street to arrive at the entrance.

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Where is it happening?

Castlefield Viaduct, Castlefield, Manchester, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 15.00

Freshwalks

Host or Publisher Freshwalks

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