Exploring Castlefield
Manchester had its origins in Castlefield, the city's historic core that local authorities have recently designated an "urban heritage park." It comprises the densely populated neighborhood that housed as many as 2,000 civilians beginning in A.D. 79, when Manchester was Mancestra, a fortified Roman camp strategically positioned between other Roman outposts, Chester and Carlisle. The roots of modern-day Manchester grew from here, providing the basic goods and services that supplied the soldiers in the nearby fort. After the Romans abandoned their fortress in A.D. 411, the settlement stood alone throughout the Dark Ages.
Castlefield's next major development was the Bridgewater Canal, which transferred coal from Worsley. Many other goods passed through this center because of the ease of transportation. Warehouses arose around the wharves, their names suggesting their wares (for example, Potato Wharf). Later, Liverpool Road housed the world's first passenger railway station, today home to the Museum of Science and Industry .
Though the city atrophied for decades after its reign as industrial capital of the world, an interest in urban renewal emerged in the 1970s. Many of the grand canals and warehouses have been restored, and Castlefield is once again a thriving, vibrant area full of attractions.
