The Story of the Hanging Bridge

The First Hanging Bridge

The remains of the bridge that can been seen in the restaurant date from the medieval periods, through there are clues that the visible bridge is the one to cross the ditch.

One clue is the name. In 1343 it was called 'Hengand Brigge' which may be named after an earlier hanging or drawbridge. Another clue is in the structure of the bridge - part of a buttress comes from an earlier structure, and one end is aligned slightly differently, as if built on an earlier structure.

The bridge is mentioned in many medieval documents and was a prominent feature of medieval Manchester, allowing access between the church and the town over the Hanging Ditch.

The Last Hanging Bridge

The authorities could not stop the ditch being filled and the level rose. The ditch was gradually covered, or culverted, houses and shops were built over it and against the sides of the bridge.

The last mention of the ditch is in a document of 1682, and soon after this the remaining section was culverted. By 1800 houses were constructed on either side of the bridge which was buried to raise the level of the street. The bridge became little more than narrow passageway between buildings.

The forgotten bridge was rediscovered in the 1880s and 1890s. The discovery was recorded but new building work one again concealed Hanging Bridge.

Today the bridge has been carefully uncovered for all to see. It is one of the few remaining features of medieval Manchester linking both the Cathedral's and the City's history.

The video below shows the long process of unveiling the bridge, allowing it to be seen in our basement restaurant.