Although little is recorded of its earlier history, Salford is a city of
great antiquity. In 1228, Henry III granted the Lancashire town the
right to hold a market and an annual fair. Centuries later, it was the
Industrial Revolution that had a phenomenal impact, with Salford
becoming one of the greatest cotton towns. With the opening of the
Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, the newly built docks in Salford became
another major factor shaping the local economy. Today the city is made
up of five districts: Salford, Eccles, Worsley, Irlam and Cadishead, and
Swinton and Pendlebury. Home to 220,000 people, Salford is constantly
changing and moving into an exciting future as a thriving cultural,
economic and residential location. In Salford in 50 Buildings, authors
Carole O'Reilly and Paul Rabbitts uncover fifty of the city's
architectural treasures and landmarks from across the centuries. These
are the places that reflect the city's history and tell the stories of
its people and their way of life. Among those featured are university
buildings, the cathedral, Irlam railway station, Worsley Old Hall,
Ordsall Hall, together with schools, shops, pubs and churches. Each one
chronicles a fascinating aspect of the city's cultural, social and
industrial heritage. From urban buzz to greenbelt tranquillity, Salford
is building on the mixture of its waterfront, urban and countryside
environments to create places where people want to live, work, invest
and visit. Its modern structures reflect this change including iconic
buildings such as the Lowry Theatre and Salford Quays. The city
celebrates its Victorian heritage as well as embracing the future with
stunning new architecture.
