Manchester-based walking tours■
A series of architect-led walking tours that read Manchester’s evolution first-hand… routes that trace change from Roman and medieval beginnings, through canals, mills and railways, to the city’s post-industrial reinvention and it’s new skyscrapers.
Using archival photos and maps alongside today’s streets, we’ll reveal what changed, why it changed, and what those decisions mean for people and place.
Expect clear, down-to-earth explanations with an architect’s eye for materials, design and the public realm… small groups, a modern pace… come and explore this city, here, then and now.
[ About ]■
Guided by Manchester-born architect Ric, the tours use historic images on location to make sense of the city’s fabric… from medieval roots to current projects. Expect clear, jargon-free explanations of the choices that shape streets and squares, and leave seeing familiar places differently.
Manchester library archives
[ TOURS ]Walking Tours
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This is where it all began. Well, almost. After the Romans left, the Anglo-Saxons moved upriver to the Irwell–Irk confluence, laying the roots of the city we know today.
The Medieval Quarter
Starting in the Medieval Quarter, the tour reads Manchester’s oldest grain around the Cathedral, Hanging Bridge (beneath the visitor centre), and Chetham’s—tracing lanes, river edges and market sites that shaped the first town. With archival images set against today’s streets, guests see how fabric was patched, replaced and reimagined across centuries, from timber and stone to brick and glass.
From Exchange Square and the post-1996 rebuild to Cathedral Gardens, the Glade of Light and the Shambles/Corn Exchange, we explore moments of loss and renewal, conservation and commerce. The route shows how decisions—good and bad—left their mark, revealing a city that’s resilient, progressive and deeply human, long before and long after the medieval walls came down.
Photos: Manchester Libraries Archive
From a Roman castle to an ever-growing number of skyscrapers… this area has changed beyond recognition, but for the better?
Castlefield & Deansgate
Starting at Castlefield’s Roman fort (Mamucium) reconstruction, the tour traces Manchester from frontier outpost to industrial powerhouse. Guests read the city’s earliest layers… ramparts, road lines and river crossings…before stepping into the canal age at Castlefield Basin, where the Bridgewater Canal rewired trade and growth.
From there it’s a short walk to the Science and Industry Museum and Liverpool Road—the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station (1830), to unpack how steam, warehouses and rail reshaped the district. The route loops back along Deansgate, finishing among the great Victorian viaducts and locks, where canal, rail and road stack in dramatic layers.
Expect clear, architect-led stories that connect Roman origins to modern reinvention, with “then & now” moments all along the way.
Photos: Manchester Libraries ArchiveCross street / corporation street junction, manchester
BFI National Archive■
We’ll take you back in time to Manchester, one of Britain’s great industrial powerhouses at the turn of the last century. Picture horse-drawn trams rattling past, streets thronged with people and carts, and the pulse of progress quickening with every step. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Manchester rose to global prominence. Canals forged vital links from inland mills to coastal ports, while an ever-expanding railway network carried goods and people faster than ever before. At the heart of the Industrial Revolution, and driven by the booming cotton trade, the city became a world hub of manufacturing, commerce and innovation.
Your Guide
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Ric is a Manchester-born architect who’s worked in the city centre since his teens. He’s fascinated by how places evolve… how design, planning and everyday life leave their marks, blending architectural insight with social history, a little nostalgia and the human stories behind brick, stone and glass.
He loves unearthing hidden facts and reading the city’s clues, and Manchester is the perfect scale for it: big enough to be global, small enough to feel connected. Its resilience, progressive streak and cultural diversity… from music to making… give endless material.
Through these architect-led walking tours, Ric helps guests see the city afresh: why it looks the way it does today, what those choices mean for communities, and where it might go next.
[ TESTIMONIALS ]Coming soon.
[ FAQ ]-
We’re a relatively new tour company and are adding routes as we grow, each exploring different key parts of Manchester’s history and character. Tour dates, times, and meeting points may vary, so the best way to find out what’s coming up is to check our Calendar. You’ll find all the latest details there, and we’ll keep adding new walks over time as we uncover more stories to share.
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Choose the tour, date and time that suits you best from our schedule, then just follow the booking link to reserve your place. If there’s still space available, you’re also welcome to join on the day and pay with card or cash… though we don’t usually carry change, so please bring the exact amount.
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If you can’t make it, please let us know as soon as possible. While we can’t usually offer refunds for guest cancellations, we’ll always do our best to move your booking to another date or offer a gift voucher if there’s space available.
If a tour has to be cancelled by us, for example due to unforeseen circumstances, you’ll be offered a full refund, gift voucher or an alternative tour date.
Common Questions
[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]