Shambles Square, Manchester facts for kids
Shambles Square, Manchester, 2008
|
|
| Namesake | Old Shambles, Manchester |
|---|---|
| Maintained by | City of Manchester |
| Location | Manchester, England, UK |
| Quarter | Medieval Quarter (Cathedral Quarter) |
| Postal code | M3 |
| Coordinates | 53°29′04″N 2°14′39″W / 53.484552°N 2.244040°W |
| North | The Old Wellington Inn |
| East | Sinclair's Oyster Bar |
| South | Hanging Ditch |
| West | Cathedral Gates |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1999 |
| Other | |
| Status | pedestrianised |
Shambles Square is a special public space in Manchester, England. It was built in 1999. This happened after two very old buildings, The Old Wellington Inn and Sinclair's Oyster Bar, were moved there. They were carefully taken from their original spot, called the Old Shambles. This big move was part of a huge rebuilding project in Manchester. The city was being repaired and updated after a large bomb exploded in 1996.
What Does "Shambles" Mean?
The word "Shambles" might sound a bit messy today. But it originally meant a street where butchers worked. They would prepare and sell meat there. The word comes from an old English word, schamel. This word meant a bench, like the ones used to show off meat for sale.
Imagine a street where butchers worked. There would have been blood and meat pieces on the ground. This is why the word "shambles" later came to mean a very messy place. You can find streets called "The Shambles" in other UK towns. Some examples are York, Stroud, Worcester, and Chesterfield.
A Look Back in Time
The building now known as The Old Wellington Inn was built in 1552. It stood right next to Manchester's old market square. In 1554, the Byrom family bought it. They used it as both a home and a shop for selling cloth. A famous writer, John Byrom, was born there in 1692.
The building became a pub in 1862. It was first called the Vintners Arms. Then it became the Kenyon Vaults. Finally, it was named The Old Wellington Inn. In the 1700s, the building got bigger. It made space for John Shaw's Punch House. This place sold strong punch. It was a popular meeting spot for important people.
John Shaw, the owner, was very strict. He had been a soldier before. He made sure everyone followed the rules. At 8 o'clock, he would announce closing time loudly. If people didn't leave, his maid, Molly Owen, would help them out. She would use her mop bucket! One time, a new Member of Parliament tried to stay late. But John Shaw told him, "You are a lawmaker and should not be a lawbreaker!" Molly then came in with her bucket, and everyone quickly left. John Shaw ran the punch house for 58 years. He died in 1796 when he was 83.
After John Shaw passed away, the punch house was run by Peter Fearnhead. Molly still helped him, and the rules stayed the same. About twelve years later, the building was sold. The new owner changed part of it into The King's Head Tavern in 1809. Later, it became known as Sinclair's. In 1845, they started selling oysters. That's when it became Sinclair's Oyster Bar, which is its name today.
Moving the Buildings
The original butchers' stalls were moved from the Old Shambles in 1827. They went to new buildings in Brown Street. Many old buildings in the market area were torn down later. This made way for better roads. Then, during the Manchester Blitz in 1940, most of the remaining old buildings were destroyed.
This left The Shambles as one of the few buildings from before the 1800s. The Wellington Inn was the only Tudor building left in Manchester city centre. In 1952, both buildings were officially protected as Grade II listed buildings. This means they are important historical buildings.
In 1974, a lot of old buildings were demolished. This made space for the new Arndale Shopping Centre. The Shambles buildings were very carefully moved. They were placed on a strong concrete base. They were even lifted about 4 feet 9 inches higher! This helped them fit in with the new shopping centre.
In June 1996, a bomb exploded nearby. It badly damaged many buildings. But The Shambles was protected by the strong concrete buildings around it. It only had minor damage. In 1998, a lot of money was raised to rebuild Shambles Square. This money came from the government, private companies, and the European Community.
The buildings were then carefully taken apart. Each piece was moved 300 metres north. They were rebuilt in their current spot in 1999. This new location is close to Manchester Cathedral. The Old Wellington Inn and Sinclair's were put back together at a 90-degree angle. A stone building was added to connect them. This created two sides of the new Shambles Square.
The third side of the square is home to The Mitre Hotel. This hotel was built in 1815 as The Old Church Tavern. It's said that Prince Charles Edward Stuart reviewed his soldiers by the tavern in 1745. It was renamed The Mitre Hotel around 1835.
