Stockport - Historic Industrial Town Near Manchester

Lying just south of Manchester and acting as the gateway to the western Peak District and Cheshire, Stockport may well now have been swallowed up by the all encompassing sprawl of its neighbor, but it still manages to retain its own identity, and is a great town to visit for a few days thanks to the range of different sights there are to see.

Perhaps the best known landmark in Stockport is the famous viaduct. This incredible structure with its 27 arches spans the River Mersey, and for many years after its construction in 1840 was the longest brick built bridge in the world. More recently, the Stockport pyramid has become one of the dominating sights on the town's skyline, and is widely thought of as being one of the main buildings in the town.

Aside from the proximity of Manchester, which is a mere seven miles north of Stockport, there are a number of attractions that make Stockport a fascinating destination for a short break in its own right. Vernon Park is one of the largest green spaces in the city, and offers plenty of trails through the woods that are ideal for a run or long walk on a sunny day.

Stockport Market is one of the oldest in the country, and has been operating since Norman times. The current building was completed in the 1950s to replace the old glass Victorian building that was destroyed during the war. The market is a great place to shop for local crafts and also sells a wide range of fresh fruit and other bargains.

The ballroom at Stockport Town Hall has long been the center of the social scene in the town, and there are several major balls each year. The Victorian Ballroom was developed in order to provide a venue that the people of the town could be proud of, and thanks to the fact that it contains the biggest Wurlitzer Organ in the world.

Houldsworth Mill in the center of Stockport was once the largest cotton mill in the whole world, and it was the creation of this vast building that kick started the industrial revolution in the town. To this day it dominates the city, but it is now home to many luxury flats and small micro factories and craft workshops rather than being an industrial behemoth.