Quay Street facts for kids
Quay Street, Manchester city centre
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| Length | 0.3 mi (0.5 km) |
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| Coordinates | 53°28′44″N 2°15′08″W / 53.4788°N 2.2523°W |
| east end |  A56 |
| west end | Water Street |
Quay Street is a well-known street in the heart of Manchester, England. It's part of the A34 and stretches west from Peter Street towards the River Irwell and Salford. This street helps mark the northern edge of Spinningfields, which is a busy business area. To the south, you'll find Castlefield, an important historical part of the city. Quay Street was first made in the 1700s to reach a special loading area (a quay) on the river. Many of the buildings along it are now listed buildings, meaning they are protected because of their history or special design.
Contents
History of Quay Street
How Quay Street Began
Quay Street was built in the 1730s. A man named Edward Byrom created a quay, which is like a dock, on the River Irwell. The street was then made to connect this quay to Deansgate, which was called Aldport Lane back then. This made it easier to move goods to and from the river.
Famous Buildings and People
In 1794, Quay Street was made longer, stretching east to Mosley Street. One important building on the street was the red brick house of Richard Cobden. He was a famous politician and reformer. His house was built in the Georgian style. It was the first home of Owens College, which later became the University of Manchester. After that, it became the Manchester County Court. This building is now a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important historically.
The Opera House is also on Quay Street. It was built in 1912 and was first called the New Theatre. Its design is in the Classical style.
Sunlight House: A Tall Idea
An architect named Joseph Sunlight designed and built Sunlight House on Quay Street. This building is also a Grade II* listed building. Joseph Sunlight had an even bigger plan for the area. He wanted to build the Quay Street Tower, which would have been a 360-foot (110 m) tall Art Deco building behind Sunlight House. However, he was not allowed to build it. If it had been built, it would have been the tallest building not just in Manchester, but in all of Europe at that time!
Granada Studios
Quay Street is very famous for being the home of Granada Studios. These were the first television studios in the UK built especially for making TV shows. They were the home of Granada Television. The building was designed by architect Ralph Tubbs. It was one of the first buildings to use a special way of building called the curtain wall method. This means the outer walls are not load-bearing but just hang like a curtain. In 2010, the big red 'Granada TV' sign was taken down from the building because it was very old and rusty.
