Trading Through Time: From Stockport Train Station to its medieval Market Hall

Trace Stockport’s evolution over the centuries from a Victorian village to an industrial town on the outskirts of Manchester. On this walking tour, I’ll take you on a journey through Stockport’s captivating history, and paint a picture of what it was like to live here at various points in the town’s vibrant past. You’ll find out the story behind Stockport’s famous viaduct, and what role the rivers around the town played in its development. As you’ll soon learn, each landmark offers its own insight into Stockport’s heritage.

Our tour starts at Stockport Train Station. As you make your way through the town’s centre to River Goyt, I’ll show you traces of its industrial revolution. We’ll see key historical sites along the way too, including Robinsons Brewery, the members-only Liberal Reform Club, and the Stockport Lads Club, a sports and recreational centre that’s been around since the late 1800s. Our tour ends at the Market Hall, from where you’ll be able to see the site where Stockport Castle stood guard from the 1100s, on what used to be a 30-foot cliffs.

On this tour, you’ll also see an array of historical highlights, including:

• Hat Works, a museum that showcases equipment from this important industry
• The statue of Richard Cobden in St Peter’s Square, where I’ll tell you who Richard was and why his is the only statue in town
• The Plaza, an art deco style theater
• Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters where you can relive life during World War II
• Saint Mary’s Parish Church and its roughly 700-year-old chancel
• Stockport Garrick Theatre which was once an old mill
• Underbank Hall, a 16th-century townhouse
• The Arden Arms, the beautiful pub where Elizabeth Raffald wrote one of her cookery books

Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Greater Manchester or a curious local who’s eager to explore your hometown’s hidden treasures, this walking tour will give you a deeper appreciation for how Stockport became what it is today. Allow an hour to 90 minutes to get the most out of this walk, although there are ample opportunities to stop and enjoy refreshments along the way.