About Manchester

Country: England
Region: North West England
County: Greater Manchester
Established: 1st Century
Area: 44.6 sq mi (115.6 km2)
Population: 552,000

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of Greater Manchester.
The name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium or its variant Mancunio and the citizens are still referred to as Mancunians. These names are generally thought to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name. It is generally accepted this name comes from Brittonic mamma or mother, in reference to a local river goddess. The suffix chester is from Old English ceaster, itself from Latin for fort or fortified town.

The history of Manchester began with the civilian settlement associated with the Roman fort of Mancunium in about AD 79 on a sandstone bluff near where the rivers Medlock and Irwell join.

The Brigantes were the major Celtic tribe in what is now known as Northern England. They had a stronghold in the locality at a sandstone outcrop on which Manchester Cathedral now stands, opposite the bank of the River Irwell. Their territory extended across the fertile lowland of what is now Salford and Stretford.

Following the Roman conquest of Britain in the 1st century, General Agricola ordered the construction of a fort named Mamucium in the year 79 to ensure that Roman interests in Deva Victrix (Chester) and Eboracum (York) were protected from the Brigantes. Central Manchester has been permanently settled since this time. A fragment of the foundations of the final version of the Roman fort is visible in Castlefield.

The Roman habitation of Manchester ended around the 3rd century athough the fort may have supported a small garrison until the late 3rd or early 4th century. After the Roman withdrawal and Saxon conquest, the focus of settlement shifted to the confluence of the Irwell and Irk sometime before the arrival of the Normans after 1066. Much of the wider area was laid waste in the subsequent Harrying (constant attacks by the enemy) of the North.

Around the 14th century Flemish weavers were disheartened by working conditions in Flanders (now part of Belgium) and migrated to Manchester. Some historians credit the Flemish weavers as the foundation of the region's textile industry.

Manchester became an important centre for the manufacture and trade of woollens and linen by about 1540.

During the English Civil War Cromwell granted it the right to elect its own MP. Charles Worsley, who sat for the city for only a year, was later appointed Major General for Lancashire, Cheshire and Staffordshire during the Rule of the Major Generals. He was a diligent puritan, turning out ale houses and banning the celebration of Christmas; he died in 1656.

Throughout the Middle Ages Manchester remained a manorial township (owned by a lord), until the unplanned urbanisation that occurred due to the region’s industrialisation arouns the late 18th and early 19th century.

Manchester achieved city status in 1853. The Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894, creating the Port of Manchester and linking the city to the Irish Sea, 36 miles (58 km) to the west.

Today Manchester's achievements include, music, the arts and hosting international sporting events.