Memorial Hall, Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memorial Hall |
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Memorial Hall, Albert Square
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| General information | |
| Type | Meeting room |
| Architectural style | Venetian Gothic Revival |
| Location | Manchester, England |
| Address | 1 and 3 Southmill Street Albert Square Manchester M2 5DB |
| Construction started | 1864 |
| Completed | 1866 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Worthington |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Memorial Hall | |
| Designated: | 14 February 1972 |
| Reference #: | 1254637 |
The Memorial Hall is a special building in Albert Square, Manchester, England. It was built between 1863 and 1866 by an architect named Thomas Worthington. This hall was created to remember an important event from 200 years earlier, called the 1662 Act of Uniformity. It's a great example of a building style called Venetian Gothic Revival. Today, it is protected as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's a very important historic place.
History of Memorial Hall
The Memorial Hall was built to mark 200 years since the 1662 Act of Uniformity. This law caused about 2,000 church leaders to leave the main church. This event led to the start of new Christian groups, often called Nonconformists. The building was paid for using extra money from another project, the Albert Memorial.
The architect, Thomas Worthington, was very well-known in Manchester. In the late 1800s, the hall was a busy meeting spot. Many different groups used it, like societies for photography, statistics, and gardening. Other groups, such as a missionary board and a famous choir, also met there. The ground floor and basement were rented out to help pay for the building's upkeep.
After some time, the hall was not used much and became run-down. But around 2012, it was fixed up and given a new life. Now, it has a bar, a restaurant, and even a hotel.
Building Style and Design
The Memorial Hall is one of the best examples in Manchester of the Venetian Gothic Revival style. This style was inspired by beautiful buildings in Italy, like the Ca' d'Oro. The hall has fancy stone patterns around all its windows, making it look like a grand palace.
Thomas Worthington designed the building after he visited Italy in 1858. He paid close attention to every small detail. The building uses different colored stones to create a subtle mix of colors, which is called polychromy. This careful choice of materials makes the building truly special. The Memorial Hall has been a Grade II* listed building since February 14, 1972.
