St Michael’s Flags and Angel Meadow is one of the few remaining green spaces in the city centre of Manchester. It can be found close to the CIS tower.

Following the successful development within the Millennium Commission’s ‘Changing Places’ Program, a further bid was made to turn the site into a fitting gateway to the Irk River Valley, which snakes its way through North Manchester. Through a partnership of the Millennium Commission, Manchester City Council and Groundwork, the project has come to realization. Ultimately this site will become a welcoming green space for the local community and also the Irk Valley City Gateway; linking the lower Irk Valley sites, Queens Park, Hendham Vale, Sandhills, Smedley Dip and St Catherine’s, which is only 100 metres away.
Research by the Friends of St Michael’s and Angel Meadow and the Civic Trust, uncovered some of the site’s rich heritage. This includes:

• The site of the former St Michael’s Church. This was once described as “the ugliest church in Manchester”. The church was demolished in 1935, however, some grave stones from the churchyard remain
• The Angel Meadow section of the site, which became the largest pauper burial ground in Manchester; it is estimated that 40,000 poor people were buried here between 1788 and 1816
• The historic buildings, such as two former ‘Ragged schools’, factories and warehouses which adjoin the site and bear witness to the poverty of this former slum area. Engels referred to this area as ‘Irish Town’, whilst Charles Dickens is said to have been inspired by the area to create his workhouse in ‘Hard Times’.
• A set of steps (currently closed off for Health and Safety reasons) is featured in several of LS Lowry’s paintings including ‘View of a Town’, 1936 and ‘Britain at Play’, 1943