List of warehouses in Manchester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The development of Manchester, England, during the Industrial Revolution produced a large concentration of warehouses, and this List of warehouses in Manchester documents the surviving examples. The city became closely associated with its industrial landscape, with canals, railway viaducts, cotton mills and warehouses supporting the movement and storage of goods. Large numbers of warehouses were built from before the Victorian era (1837–1901) to the end of the Edwardian era (1910).
The city developed six main warehouse types: display, overseas, packing, shipping, railway, and canal warehouses. In 1806 there were just over 1,000 warehouses, rising to 1,819 by 1815, leading to the nickname "warehouse city". Early examples were concentrated around King Street, spreading to Portland Street by the mid‑19th century and later to Whitworth Street. These buildings evolved from the earlier canal warehouses of Castlefield.
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| Grade | Criteria[1] |
|---|---|
| I | Buildings of exceptional interest. |
| II* | Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. |
| II | Buildings of special interest. |
| Name | Image | Location | Completed | Date designated | Grade | Entry number | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Street Warehouse | Dale Street, Northern Quarter | 1806 | 10 November 1972 | II* | 1200845 | Canal warehouse, including subterranean water-wheel. Built in 1806 by William Crossley. Recognised as the earliest canal warehouse in Manchester. | [2] | |
| 1830 warehouse, Liverpool Road railway station | Liverpool Road, Castlefield | 1830 | 8 May 1973 | I | 1282991 | Recognised as the world's first railway warehouse.[3][4] The designer is unknown, though it has been attributed to Thomas Haigh and to George and Robert Stephenson. | [5][6] | |
| Jackson's Warehouse | Tariff Street, Northern Quarter | 1836 | 3 October 1974 | II* | 1254689 | One of the earliest examples of 'shipping holes', which allow boats to unpack goods under the building.[7] Renovated in 2003, now apartments and commercial space. | [8] | |
| Victoria and Albert Warehouses | Water Street | c. 1838 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1254727 | Warehouses for Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company, now a hotel. | [9][10] | |
| Watts Warehouse | 35–47 Portland Street | 1856 | 25 February 1952 | II* | 1246952 | Distinguished by its unusually eclectic design. It has five storeys, each treated in a different architectural manner—Italian Renaissance, Elizabethan, French Renaissance and Flemish—and roof pavilions that include large Gothic wheel windows. Now a hotel. | [11] | |
| Charlotte House | 44–48 George Street | 1857 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1197782 | Cotton merchants' warehouse by Edward Walters. Sandstone ashlar and light red brick exterior. Italian palazzo style. | [12] | |
| Austin House | 14 and 16 Charlotte Street | 1860 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1197783 | Textile merchants' warehouses; now offices. Designed by Edward Walters in an Italian palazzo style. Altered since opening; now offices. | [13] | |
| Behrens Building | 127–133 Portland Street | 1860 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1246958 | Various shipping warehouses, built by P. Nunn for Louis Behrens and Sons. Red brick and sandstone exterior. Strong horizontal emphasis which fronts onto Portland Street. | [14] | |
| 63 George Street | George Street and Dickinson Street | c. 1860 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1218197 | Merchant's warehouse in an Italian palazzo style. Now offices and restaurant. | [15] | |
| Lancashire House | 9 Southmill Street | c. 1860–1870 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1246665 | Probably merchant's warehouse. Sandstone ashlar exterior at ground floor, red brick with sandstone dressings above. | [16] | |
| 109 and 111 Portland Street | Portland Street | c. 1860–1870 | 6 June 1994 | II | 1271095 | Various warehouses, now partly bar and nightclub. Red brick exterior in Flemish bond, with sandstone dressings and slate roof. A mixed eclectic style. | [17] | |
| 13–17 Albion Street | Albion Street | c. 1860–1870 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1279694 | Red brick exterior with sandstone dressings and a slate roof. Designed in a Venetian Gothic style. | [18] | |
| Princess Buildings | 72–76 George Street and 18–24 Princess Street | c. 1860–1880 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1247380 | Textile warehouses and offices, now used as offices. Likely built with an iron frame, clad in sandstone ashlar with a slate roof. | [19] | |
| 7 Southmill Street, 1–5 Central Street |
Southmill Street and Central Street | Mid to late 19th century | 3 October 1974 | II | 1293203 | Probably built as a warehouse, later used as a Post Office and now in office use. Red brick in Flemish bond with sandstone detailing; the roof is hidden from view. | [20] | |
| London Warehouse (Ducie Street Warehouse) | 10 Ducie Street | 1867 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1217858 | Railway warehouse for Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway near the basin of the Ashton Canal. Originally four similar buildings were built, but only one remains.[21] | [22] | |
| Harvester House | 37 Peter Street | 1868 | 30 April 1982 | II | 1246664 | Described as "probably [a] merchant's warehouse" by Historic England. Designed by Clegg and Knowles; has altered. Sandstone ashlar exterior and slate roof. | [23] | |
| 101 Princess Street | Princess Street | 1869 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1270899 | Shipping warehouse by Clegg and Knowles in a Palazzo style. Red brick exterior in Flemish bond, with sandstone dressings (roof not visible from street). Parallelogram plan on island site with a rear loading bay. Later converted to offices and a nightclub. | [24] | |
| 12 Charlotte Street, 17 George Street |
Charlotte Street and George Street | c. 1870 (probable) | 3 October 1974 | II | 1208392 | Built as a home trade warehouse. Extension of the Austin House warehouse building. Basement and five-storeys, sandstone ashlar exterior. Narrow plan on corner site. Now offices. | [25] | |
| Brazil House | 105 and 107 Princess Street | c. 1870–1880 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1270871 | Pair of shipping warehouses; now offices. Described as "Eclectic style, with some Gothic features" by Historic England. | [26] | |
| Basil House | 105 and 107 Portland Street | c. 1870–1880 | 6 June 1994 | II | 1246956 | Trade warehouse. Probably iron-framed, with exterior of red brick, sandstone dressings and slate roof. Designed in an eclectic style. Forms group with No. 103 to left, and with Nos. 109 and 111, and 113 to 119 to right, together comprising a complete block of former warehouses. | [27] | |
| Chepstow House | 16–20 Chepstow Street | 1874 | 28 June 1974 | II | 1283067 | Originally shipping warehouse by Speakman, Son and Hickson, for textile merchant Sam Mendel. Red brick with sandstone dressings exterior. | [28] | |
| Bradley House | Dale Street, Northern Quarter | Late 19th century | 6 June 1994 | II | 1197772 | Shipping warehouse, probably for Kessler & Co., a machine manufacturing company. One of the very few plainly decorated warehouses in Victorian Manchester, noted for its simple Georgian style. | [29] | |
| Central House | 74 Princess Street | 1880 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1247389 | Shipping warehouse by Corson and Aitken. Red brick with red sandstone dressings, steeply pitched slate roof with obelisk finials. Described as "Scottish baronial" style by Historic England. | [30] | |
| 110–114 Portland Street | Portland Street | 1880 | 28 February 1989 | II | 1247061 | Warehousing, probably textiles or clothing. Designed by Charles Henry Heathcote in an Romanesque style. Irregular trapeziform plan with sandstone ashlar and red brick exterior | [31] | |
| Great Northern Warehouse | Watson Street | 1885–1896, 1899 | 4 May 1979 | II* | 1268529 | Built by Great Northern Railway. A unique survival of a 3-way railway goods exchange station, serving the railway, canal and road networks of the Manchester region. Built to be fully fire proof, it was considered in its day to be one of the most advanced railway goods exchanges in the country.[32] | [33] | |
| 49 Spring Gardens | Spring Gardens | 1888–1891 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1270700 | Commercial building, probably a textiles warehouse, by Alfred Waterhouse. Sandstone ashlar exterior and mansard slate roof. Rectangular plan on end-of-block site, with curved corners, and loading bay to rear. Eclectic style, with some Gothic motifs. | [34] | |
| Tootal, Broadhurst and Lee Building | 56 Oxford Street | 1896–1898 | 3 October 1974 | II* | 1271294 | Formerly home to Tootal, Broadhurst and Lee Co., a cotton manufacturing company.[35] As of 2026[update], the building hosts the headquarters of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, including the office of the Mayor of Greater Manchester.[36][37] | [38] | |
| 107 Piccadilly | Piccadilly | 1899 | 3 October 1974 | II | 1246944 | Cotton manufacturers' showroom and warehouse, now hotel and restaurant. Designed by Charles Henry Heathcote, possibly for Horrocks Crewdson & Co or Sparrow Hardwick & Company. | [39] | |
| Asia House | 82 Princess Street | c. 1900–1910 | 3 October 1974 | II* | 1247432 | Packing and shipping warehouses in an Edwardian Baroque style by Harry S. Fairhurst. Interior described as "unusually elaborate" and "probably the best example of its kind in any Manchester warehouse" with Art Nouveau and Venetian Gothic motifs. Now used as offices. | [40] | |
| Princes Buildings | 18, 20, 24–28 Oxford Road | 1903 | 4 April 1974 | II | 1246285 | Designed by I. R. E. Birkett in an Art Nouveau style. Now offices and retail units. | [41] | |
| Sevendale House | Dale Street | 1903 | 6 June 1994 | II | 1200847 | Large former general warehouse, now mainly used by wholesalers. Built for I. J. & C. Cooper Ltd. Steel‑framed with concrete floors, clad in polished red granite, red sandstone and deep red brick and terracotta, with a green slate roof. | [42] | |
| Lancaster House | 67–71 Whitworth Street | 1906 | 3 October 1974 | II* | 1254887 | Shipping and packing warehouses in an Edwardian Baroque style by Harry S. Fairhurst. Since been converted into residential flats and separated into two buildings. | [43] | |
| Canada House | 3 Chepstow Street | 1909 | 20 June 1988 | II | 1208597 | Packing warehouse by William G. Higginbottom in Art Nouveau style. Five storeys with basement and double attic. Cast-iron frame with steel truss roof. | [44] | |
| Bridgewater House | 58 and 60 Whitworth Street | 1912 | 6 June 1994 | II | 1270606 | Shipping warehouse designed by Harry S. Fairhurst. Steel‑framed, clad in sandstone ashlar and white glazed terracotta; the roof is not visible. Now in office use. | [45] |
See also
References
- ↑ "What Are Listed Buildings". Historic England. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Dale Warehouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Old Main Goods Warehouse". Engineering Timelines. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "About us". Science and Industry Museum.
- ↑ "Old Warehouse to North of Former Liverpool Road Railway Station". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "The 1830 Warehouse, Liverpool Road Station, Manchester" (PDF). Science and Industry Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "Jackson's Warehouse". Engineering Timelines. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "Former Rochdale Canal Warehouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ Historic England. "Albert Warehouse Quay on west side fronting River Irwell Victoria Warehouse (Grade II) (1254727)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ↑ McNeil, Robina; Nevell, Michael (2000). A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Greater Manchester. Association for Industrial Archaeology. p. 12. ISBN 0-9528930-3-7.
- ↑ "Britannia Hotel". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Charlotte House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Austin House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "127–133, Portland Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "63, George Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Lancashire House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "109 and 111, Portland Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "13–17, Albion Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Princess Buildings". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "1–5, Central Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Ducie Street Warehouse". Engineering Timelines. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "London Warehouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Harvester House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "101, Princess Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "No, 12, Charlotte Street and No. 17, George Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Brazil House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Basil House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Chepstow House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Bradley House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Central House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "110–114, Portland Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Great Northern Deansgate Warehouse". Engineering Timelines. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "Deansgate Goods Station and Attached Carriage Ramp". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "49, Spring Gardens". Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ "Tootal Broadhurst Lee Co". Graces Guide. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ Williams, Jennifer (23 September 2016). "Region's 'super council' to get £2m city centre headquarters". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ↑ "GMCA: Our address". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ↑ "Tootal, Broadhurst and Lee Building". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "107, Piccadilly". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Asia House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Princes Buildings". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Sevendale House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Lancaster House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Canada House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "Bridgewater House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 8 April 2026.




























