Secrets of Angel Meadow and the Irk Valley
Johnny James, Managing Editor
In the north of Manchester City Centre lies a fascinating area that many aren’t familiar with – yet. It’s home to green landscapes, captivating architecture, and more than a few stories. Join Jonathan Schofield Tours and take a trip through time as you explore Angel Meador and Irk Valley, hearing tales of bravery and love, misery and death – oh and one about a lot of naked people who arrived in 2010.
A dark past precedes Angel Meadow. During the Industrial Revolution the area went from being an affluent, elegant suburb to one of the country’s most notorious slums, known for its poverty, disease and crime. Friedrich Engels called it “hell upon earth”. But with the depopulation of the area in the early 20th century came the first turn of the wheel, which has almost come full circle; Angel Meadow is now one of Manchester City Centre’s more peaceful – and characterful – residential areas, complete with a Green Flag park.
A new masterplan for Angel Meadow and the wider Irk Valley looks set to reinforce that change of direction. A large-scale regeneration project – a joint venture between Manchester City Council and FEC – will transform the area, boosting its position within the city and the region. The role of Angel Meadow will be underlined, once more, as the emblematic inner suburb of Manchester, encapsulating the shifting sands of urban districts more widely.
This tour takes a comprehensive look at the area and combines story-telling, a cast of fascinating characters, and lots of humour to tell the dramatic story of Angel Meadow and the Irk Valley. Taking in an ‘impossible bridge’ and an ‘improbable hill’, you’ll visit some remarkable places, landscapes and architecture as your tour guide brings the area’s dark past and bright future to life.
