The Chambers, Manchester - February 2013
Visited with Gone
Spent the afternoon walking around Manchester, trying a few things and chatting about potential. Earlier, we'd started to talk about external climbs around buildings in Manchester, and lo-and-behold, a little later we chanced upon a target. Our eye's widened as we both spied a potential route. We circled the block of buildings a couple of times from the ground, and gazing upwards we tried to decipher what we might expect to get to. The interesting little ornamental tower on the corner of Police Street and King Street took our fancy, so we waited for the darkness to creep in and some of the shoppers to disperse before making our ascent.
The Chambers, 15-17 King Street
Located in the St Ann's Conservation Area, 15-17 King Street was originally Manchester’s first furniture department store for E. Goodall & Co (agents for the Century Guild).
The building is Grade II listed, but is not as old as it pretends to be. It is actually two buildings clad as a half-timbered, Tudor pastiche. This facelift is quite fitting though, as tenants of the office space below include the Harley Medical Group. It was constructed in 1902 by Maxwell and Tuke. The firm were made famous by their seaside architecture, notably the towers of Blackpool and New Brighton, although at this time the company was under the stewardship of Frank Maxwell, after James Maxwell and Charles Tuke had both died within 6 months of each other in 1893. The company's offices were also on King Street. These buildings also sit on the corner of Police Street, which is so called because Manchester's original civic administration (a commission of police) was housed in the Police Office in King Street from 1772.
I don't think it really matters that there's a steel frame hiding behind that veil of black-and-white, faux-Elizabethan timbering. It's a hidden gem and a really interesting climb. There's a whole block of funky rooftops to navigate...
photo by Gone
photo by Gone
Some of these photographs are from the adjoining St Ann's House rooftop, which overlooks St. Ann's Church. No tripod, so excuse some of the wonky photography - I was mainly balancing the camera on vents and things whilst holding the shutter button down manually on Bulb mode... as I had no remote either.
tweek
Visited with Gone
Spent the afternoon walking around Manchester, trying a few things and chatting about potential. Earlier, we'd started to talk about external climbs around buildings in Manchester, and lo-and-behold, a little later we chanced upon a target. Our eye's widened as we both spied a potential route. We circled the block of buildings a couple of times from the ground, and gazing upwards we tried to decipher what we might expect to get to. The interesting little ornamental tower on the corner of Police Street and King Street took our fancy, so we waited for the darkness to creep in and some of the shoppers to disperse before making our ascent.
The Chambers, 15-17 King Street
Located in the St Ann's Conservation Area, 15-17 King Street was originally Manchester’s first furniture department store for E. Goodall & Co (agents for the Century Guild).
The building is Grade II listed, but is not as old as it pretends to be. It is actually two buildings clad as a half-timbered, Tudor pastiche. This facelift is quite fitting though, as tenants of the office space below include the Harley Medical Group. It was constructed in 1902 by Maxwell and Tuke. The firm were made famous by their seaside architecture, notably the towers of Blackpool and New Brighton, although at this time the company was under the stewardship of Frank Maxwell, after James Maxwell and Charles Tuke had both died within 6 months of each other in 1893. The company's offices were also on King Street. These buildings also sit on the corner of Police Street, which is so called because Manchester's original civic administration (a commission of police) was housed in the Police Office in King Street from 1772.
I don't think it really matters that there's a steel frame hiding behind that veil of black-and-white, faux-Elizabethan timbering. It's a hidden gem and a really interesting climb. There's a whole block of funky rooftops to navigate...
photo by Gone
photo by Gone
Some of these photographs are from the adjoining St Ann's House rooftop, which overlooks St. Ann's Church. No tripod, so excuse some of the wonky photography - I was mainly balancing the camera on vents and things whilst holding the shutter button down manually on Bulb mode... as I had no remote either.
tweek
