St Peter‘s Square has been at the center of Manchester‘s civic life for over two centuries. This expansive public space in the heart of the city has served as a marketplace, a battleground, a memorial garden, and a transportation hub, among many other functions. But most significantly, it was the site of the infamous Peterloo Massacre of 1819, a defining moment in Britain‘s long struggle for representative democracy. Today, St Peter‘s Square remains a popular gathering place that honors Manchester‘s past while bustling with modern urban life. Let‘s dive deeper into the multilayered history of this fascinating site.
The Peterloo Massacre: A Watershed Moment
To understand the historical importance of St Peter‘s Square, we must start with the tragic events of August 16, 1819. At the time, Manchester was a rapidly industrializing city rife with social tensions. The Napoleonic Wars had just ended, leaving many veterans jobless. An economic slump was hurting textile workers and other laborers. And the vast majority of England‘s population, especially the working classes, was denied the right to vote under the restrictive electoral system.
It was in this context that a crowd estimated at 60,000-80,000 people gathered at what was then known as St Peter‘s Fields to attend a rally for parliamentary reform. The main speaker was to be Henry Hunt, a radical orator who advocated for universal male suffrage and annual parliaments. Local magistrates, alarmed by the size of the gathering and its democratic demands, declared it an illegal assembly. They sent in the Manchester and Salford Yeomanry, an ill-trained volunteer cavalry unit, to arrest Hunt and disperse the crowd.
What happened next would shock the nation. The Yeomanry charged into the unarmed crowd with sabres drawn, cutting down men, women and children indiscriminately. In the ensuing panic, 15 people were killed and an estimated 400-700 were injured. The events soon became known as the Peterloo Massacre, an ironic reference to the Battle of Waterloo that had made the Duke of Wellington a hero just four years prior.
The Peterloo Massacre was a watershed moment in British political history. It galvanized popular opinion against the authorities and in favor of democratic reform. The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley captured the outrage in his poem "The Masque of Anarchy":
"Rise, like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number!
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you:
Ye are many—they are few!"
In the following decades, the memory of Peterloo would inspire the Chartists, trade unionists, and other working class reformers to press for change. Though universal male suffrage would not be achieved until 1918, the massacre set Britain on the long road to becoming a true representative democracy.
From Fields to Square: The Evolution of a Civic Space
In the two centuries since the Peterloo Massacre, St Peter‘s Fields has transformed from an open patch of land on the edge of Manchester into a grand public square at the heart of the city. This evolution reflects Manchester‘s own growth and changing civic ideals.
After the massacre, the site was used for a variety of purposes. It hosted a cattle market for a time before being partly developed with houses. But as Manchester boomed as an industrial powerhouse in the Victorian era, city leaders sought to create a more dignified public space. In 1907, the Manchester Corporation purchased the land with the intention of creating a formal square.
The design of the new square was entrusted to Sir Edwin Lutyens, the renowned British architect who would go on to plan New Delhi and the Cenotaph in London. Lutyens‘ neoclassical vision called for a rectangular space framed by grand public buildings and bisected by a processional avenue. Construction began in the 1920s but was interrupted by World War II, so the square wasn‘t fully realized until the 1960s.
At the center of Lutyens‘ design was the Manchester Cenotaph, a stately war memorial erected in 1924. The rectangular monument is made of Portland stone and features carved wreaths, flags, and a sculptural group representing Victory and Peace. Its inscription reads "TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY."
Over the years, other memorials have joined the Cenotaph. In 2018, a statue of Emmeline Pankhurst was unveiled to mark the 100th anniversary of British women gaining the right to vote. Pankhurst was a Mancunian who founded the Women‘s Social and Political Union, the militant suffragette organization that employed hunger strikes and other dramatic tactics to win female suffrage. Her 10-foot bronze likeness, striding forward with purpose, is a powerful symbol of Manchester‘s progressive heritage.
Most recently, in 2019 a memorial was finally erected to the victims of Peterloo, two centuries after the massacre. Designed by artist Jeremy Deller, the monument consists of eleven concentric circles of local stone etched with the names of the dead and excerpts from contemporary accounts. At just over a foot tall, it deliberately lacks the grandiosity of most memorials. Instead, it invites visitors to gather around and reflect on the lives lost in the struggle for democracy.
St Peter‘s Square has evolved in function as well as form. The construction of the Metrolink tram line in 1992 made it a major transit hub, with millions of passengers passing through each year. In the 2010s, the square underwent a major redevelopment to better accommodate pedestrians and transit riders. The old avenues were replaced with an expansive paved plaza, and the tram stops were relocated to the perimeter. Today, it is a bustling space that hosts markets, performances, and rallies alongside the daily comings and goings of Mancunians.
Architectural Landmarks: The Buildings of St Peter‘s Square
The built environment around St Peter‘s Square showcases Manchester‘s rich architectural heritage. On the eastern side stands the grand Edwardian facade of the Midland Hotel. Built in 1903, it was then the largest hotel in Britain outside of London. Its ornate red brick and terracotta exterior is adorned with sculpture groups representing Manchester‘s industries and the British Empire. Inside the luxurious hotel, you can find the spot in the lobby where Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met in 1904 and agreed to start building motor cars together.
Opposite the hotel is the Central Library, one of Manchester‘s most iconic buildings. Completed in 1934, it is a superb example of neoclassical design with Art Deco touches. The circular structure is faced with Portland stone and features a colonnade of Corinthian columns supporting a frieze depicting the history of writing. Inside is a magnificent domed reading room reminiscent of the British Museum or the Library of Congress. The library houses an extensive collection of books, periodicals, and archival materials, including an original of the Peterloo Relief Fund notebook that recorded donations for the massacre victims.
Other notable buildings around St Peter‘s Square include the Town Hall Extension, a 1930s structure in the same neoclassical style as the Central Library, and One St Peter‘s Square, a sleek glass office tower completed in 2014 that exemplifies Manchester‘s 21st century ambitions.
A Gathering Place for Civic Life
Beyond its historic and architectural significance, St Peter‘s Square remains an important gathering place for Manchester‘s civic life. In keeping with its democratic heritage, the square is a frequent site of political rallies, protests and commemorations.
In recent years, St Peter‘s Square has seen demonstrations on issues ranging from Brexit to climate change to racial justice. The square has hosted vigils for victims of terrorist attacks, such as the Manchester Arena bombing of 2017. And every year on Peterloo Day (August 16), Mancunians gather to honor those killed in 1819 and reflect on the ongoing struggle for democracy and human rights.
But the square is also a place for celebration and leisure. It hosts a popular Christmas market each winter, with stalls selling gifts, decorations and festive foods. In the summer, office workers and tourists alike can be found enjoying the sun on the plaza‘s benches or stopping for a bite at the surrounding cafes.
St Peter‘s Square, in short, is the beating heart of Manchester. It is a place where the city‘s past, present and future intersect. To walk its grounds is to follow in the footsteps of history, from the reformers of 1819 to the everyday Mancunians of today.
Visiting St Peter‘s Square
If you‘re interested in experiencing this iconic site for yourself, St Peter‘s Square is easily accessible in Manchester city center. The Metrolink tram has stops on both the north and south sides of the square, served by multiple lines. Alternatively, you can reach the square on foot in about 10 minutes from either Manchester Oxford Road or Manchester Piccadilly train stations.
Several bus routes also stop near St Peter‘s Square. The closest bus stops are Princess Street (served by lines 1, 8, and 10, among others) and Portland Street (served by lines 3, 16, and 23, among others). If driving, the nearest parking options are the Manchester Central Car Park on Lower Mosley Street or the NCP Manchester Piccadilly Gardens Car Park on Chatham Street, both within a 5-minute walk.
Once you arrive, take some time to explore the memorials and statues around the square. The Peterloo Memorial is located in the southwest corner, near the entrance to the Metrolink stop. The Manchester Cenotaph stands in the center of the square, flanked by the Emmeline Pankhurst statue on the west side. Information plaques provide background on each monument.
Be sure to admire the surrounding architecture as well. The Central Library is open to the public and well worth a visit, especially the magnificent reading room. You can also step inside the Midland Hotel to glimpse its opulent lobby and imagine the meeting of Rolls and Royce.
If you need refreshment after sightseeing, St Peter‘s Square has a variety of dining and drinking options. For coffee and casual fare, try Pret a Manger or Caffe Nero, both on the square. The Midland Hotel houses several upscale restaurants, including The Tea Room for a traditional afternoon tea. And just around the corner on Oxford Street, you‘ll find a range of pubs and eateries to suit any taste.
However you choose to spend your time at St Peter‘s Square, take a moment to reflect on the long arc of history that has played out on this patch of Manchester land. From the reformers of 1819 to the architects of the 20th century to the activists of today, generations of Mancunians have shaped and been shaped by this iconic space. In its stones and statues, its buildings and bustle, St Peter‘s Square embodies the spirit of a city that is forever striving toward a better future.
Sources and Further Reading:
- Poole, Robert. "The March to Peterloo: Politics and Festivity in Late Georgian England." Past & Present, no. 192, 2006, pp. 109–153.
- Krantz, Kathryn. "Remembering the Peterloo Massacre." The British Library, 16 Aug. 2019, www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/remembering-the-peterloo-massacre.
- Wyke, Terry, et al. Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester. Liverpool University Press, 2004.
- Parkinson-Bailey, John J. Manchester: An Architectural History. Manchester University Press, 2000.
- "The Peterloo Massacre." The National Archives, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/politics/g5/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.
- "Peterloo Memorial Campaign." People‘s History Museum, phm.org.uk/the-peterloo-massacre-and-the-peterloo-memorial-campaign/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.
