CONTEXT 189 : SEPTEMBER 2026 37 INFRASTRUCTURE reduced scale, and he provided a setting with important elements of composition that could not be achieved in Whitehall. This comprised an altar-like War Stone (replicating the Stone of Remembrance which Lutyens had designed for the Imperial War Graves Commission) and pylons, united by steps and pavements forming a podium to provide a distinct sense of place for ceremonial events. It also incorporated an area for laying wreaths and planting crosses. At the time the cenotaph was built, St Peter’s Square was enclosed by low-level, dense residential and commercial buildings, typically no more than four storeys high, apart from the Midland Hotel which closed the southern side of the square. To the north, there were blocks of more low buildings and another street running south and parallel to Princess Street. The cenotaph was of a similar scale to its surroundings, yet it exerted a significant presence. During the ensuing years, the setting of the memorial and the cross changed drastically with the erection of the Central Library in 1934 and the Town Hall Extension in 1938, works which entailed the demolition of the blocks of buildings to the north-west side of the square. Following the second world war, a scheme for a garden of remembrance was proposed around the cenotaph and cross. Designed by the city’s architect, Leonard Howitt, the garden scheme, incorporating the cross and the cenotaph memorial, was dedicated in 1949. The enclosing smaller buildings were cleared away, and the nature of the space was changed dramatically. Later the entire north side of the square was also removed, extending the space to the far side of Princess Street. On the east side of St Peter’s Square extensive demolition took place during the post-war period, making way for the construction of a large monolithic office block, Elizabeth House. This was, in turn, replaced by an even larger building in 2012. This has been joined by the equally monumental adjacent office block, now known as No 1 St Peter’s Square. The original pre-second-world-war tram system ran through St Peter’s Square and around the cenotaph, and the 11 November ceremonies were conducted over its tracks. The new Metrolink line through the square to Mosley Street followed a slightly different route, aligned adjacent to the podium of the cenotaph, which was incorporated into a station platform. By the time the Metrolink Second City Crossing was planned, the original context of the cenotaph had been entirely obliterated. Our brief was to relocate the cenotaph to provide an appropriate setting and to carry out conservation repairs to the stonework. The first task was to ascertain whether it was possible to re-route the tramlines within the surroundings, so as to leave the monument in St Peter’s Square.This was not possible, and it would have exacerbated the existing problems of accommodating ceremonial events. A programme of public consultations was instigated. The team looked at 13 different locations, each of which was comprehensively analysed. The results of analysis determined that the original St Peter’s Square location was still the most suitable, but instead utilising the part of the square bounded by the rear of the town hall and the north-eastern facade of the neighbouring town hall extension. The relocation works had to be dovetailed into the much larger scheme of redesigning St Peter’s Square, itself a key part of Manchester City Council’s wider programme to transform the civic centre. As the city council could not grant listed building consent to itself, an application was made to Government Office NorthWest; English Heritage (as was) participated in the process throughout. Although listed building consent was required for the dismantling of the monument, it was not required for the relocation as such because the eventual designated site was effectively the same address. Had it been possible to move the monument to its new location without dismantling, listed building consent would not have been required. After measured surveys had been carried out, a condition survey was undertaken to assess the fabric and to compare the findings with Lutyens’ drawings. A non-invasive internal structural survey using radar and X-rays was also completed. The main concerns were the state of the fabric and how the monument was joined together. For example, were there cramps, dowels or joggles? What were the foundations, bearing in mind that the crypt of the church still survived? Armistice Day, 1939, showing Lutyens’ original layout of the grassed area around the cross (Photo: Manchester Libraries and Archives) The catafalque cleaned and with initial nanolime treatment, on its cradle ready for re-hoisting. Further treatment was carried out after it was back into position.
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