Manchester: The Warehouse Legacy - Introduction and Guide Book

Manchester's historic warehouses still dominate the character of large parts of the city today: a city which is often thought of as a great industrial centre, but which had equal importance as a commercial one. The distinctive textile warehouses reflect Manchester's role as an international centre for cotton trading and demonstrate the prosperity of the city's merchants. The textile warehouse began as converted dwelling houses in the early nineteenth century, progressed to purpose-built warehouses that resembled Renaissance palaces, and reached new heights of functional refinement in the Edwardian period. It represents a uniquely evolved warehouse type, rarely found outside Manchester. Since early 1997 the Architectural Investigation section of English Heritage has been engaged in a programme of research in Manchester. Warehouses of all types have been subject to redevelopment in recent years and, although exteriors are generally retained, important interiors are irrevocably lost with each new conversion project. This research has highlighted the distinctive characteristics of the various warehouse types, explored the working areas behind the facades and identified some of the most significant and best surviving buildings.