History - St. John's, Manchester

History

ST. JOHN’S

A PLACE UNLIKE ANY OTHER

St. John’s and neighbouring Castlefield are areas of great historic significance. Their cultural heritage is embedded in its Roman beginnings, but overshadowed by the changes Manchester underwent during the industrial revolution to become the world’s first modern metropolis.

The area reflects the impact of the key changes in transport, commerce, industry and entertainment which are preserved in both its architecture and infrastructure.

THE RIVER

The River Irwell was made navigable in the 1720s allowing access to Liverpool via the River Mersey. This led to the first quay on the Irwell and the construction of Quay Street to Deansgate. This in turn led to the construction of the Rochdale Canal which enabled coal to be delivered directly into the city which fuelled the industrial development of Manchester.

THE RAILWAY

The Liverpool Road Station, now part of the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), represents the world’s first commercial passenger railway. The railway station opened in 1830 and was the terminus of the newly created line between Manchester and Liverpool. This soon became the centre of a railway network crossing the River Irwell with viaducts. The regeneration of the surrounding area shows the influence this had, not only in terms of passengers but also in the development of warehousing and distribution for the city and region as a whole.

THE WAREHOUSES

The transport termini in Castlefield led to a large number of warehouses being built, satisfying the needs of Manchester’s growing population. These warehouses still stand today and form an indelible vista across St. John’s. One of the most prominent is the Bonded Warehouse that now proudly sits at the centre of the St. John’s development, a fine example of late 19th Century industrial architecture that will remain prominent in the new neighbourhood.

GRANADA STUDIOS

Ralph Tubbs’s iconic Granada House is not a listed building but it is a culturally significant Manchester architectural icon, it was the headquarters of ITV and Granada between 1956 and 2013. Granada House was the first commercial building to be built in the city after the war, and its studios played an integral part in Manchester’s post-war regeneration.

Granada House is culturally important due to the output of the studios. The studios are the oldest operating purpose-built television studios in the United Kingdom. A unique place where the first television appearance by The Beatles in 1962 and by the Sex Pistols in 1976 took place, numerous dramas such as Brideshead Revisited and Jewel in the Crown were filmed, factual programming such as World in Action, and the world’s longest running soap opera, Coronation Street, were all produced here.

The development of the site after 1945 reflects the rise of the leisure and entertainment industries and the capacity for Manchester to challenge London’s position with a TV provider that matched its BBC rival in its ability to both inform and entertain. The legacy of the Coronation Street set as an icon of popular UK history can be put alongside the triumphs of the industrial age in terms of its national influence.

The first of Manchester’s Quays is built on the River Irwell at the junction of Water Street and Quay Street.

1772

The St. John’s community begins to take shape with the creation of roads, St. John’s church, St. John’s market as the area becomes a hub for cargo, cotton and timber trade.

1807

Liverpool Road railway station opens on 15th September becoming the world’s first inter-city passenger railway solely powerd by timetabled steam locomotives.

1830

Manchester’s population grows to 182,000 driven by a booming textile trade as the quay at St. John’s continues to evolve.

1831

A goods yard at St. John’s opens as Liverpool Road railway station closes. The Liverpool Road station frontage still remains and later becomes part of the Museum of Science and Industry.

1844

The Pineapple Inn serves its first pint becoming the local public house for the St. John’s community. 100 years later the pub (renamed to The Pineapple) is featured on Coronation Street during a scene.

1870

Granada Studios and ITV announce to set up their HQ at St. John’s. Granada House would later become the first commercial building in Manchester to be built after the war, playing an important part in Manchester’s regeneration.

1956

The first epsiode of Coronation Street is broadcast

1960

Granada House formerly opens, a building design by Ralph Tubbs. It would become a key landmark in the city, with the GRANADA TV sign lighting up the Manchester skyline. University Challenge begins filming at Granada Studios in Studio 12. The show would continue to be filmed there until 2013.