Canals and locks in central Manchester

Castlefield-Petersfield covers the area in central Manchester west of Quay St, Peter St, and Oxford St. It covers the locales of Castlefield and Petersfield (also known as St Peter's Fields), which are within the Historic County Boundaries of Lancashire.

Castlefield is the site of the original Roman settlement Mamucium and has been known as Castlefield since Medieval times. It is the centre of Manchester's canal network and includes the Castlefield Basin, which joins the Rochdale and Bridgewater canals. Very important in industrial times, it became run down in post-war times until it was completely regenerated in the 1990s and designated Britain's first Urban Heritage site. These days it is like a small country oasis in the heart of the city, with regular events and a handful of great pubs around the canals and the neighbouring streets. It is also the only place to see wildlife in Manchester's centre.

Petersfield (also known as the Exhibition Quarter) is the home of Manchester's exhibition, conference and concert halls, as well as the almost-deserted Great Northern shopping and entertainment centre and two of the city's most luxurious hotels. It is also home to the Beetham Tower, the tallest building in the UK outside of London and the home to Manchester's Hilton hotel.

Get in

Deansgate is the closest railway station to Castlefield though not all trains stop there. Almost all through trains stop at Manchester Oxford Road which is near to Petersfield and has frequent connections to Manchester Piccadilly for InterCity & other trains that don't run through.

Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop is connected by footbridge to the railway station.

See

• 1 St. John's Gardens, Byrom Street. Open daily during daylight hours. The site of the former St. John's Church has become central Manchester's most beautiful park. Come here in the summer to see the flowers and bring some bread for the hundreds of birds that make St. John's their home.  
• 2 Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Road, M3 4FP (Freebus 1, Rail Deansgate. Metrolink Deansgate-Castlefield), ☏ +44 33 0058 0058. 10AM-5PM daily. This is a great museum for those interested in technology and industrial heritage: sited at one end of the world's first passenger railway line. The working cotton weaving machines are particularly worth experiencing. Catch one of their regular demonstrations of their operation. There is also the opportunity to explore the city's former sewers (now fully cleaned!) to get an idea of the living (and dying) conditions of Manchester's cotton workers. Most impressive of all is the huge collection of working engines in the Power Hall (closed until 2024), powered by steam, gas, water, you name it. The museum also hosts the first steam train (and with it, the first ever vehicle to run faster than a horse), as well as the first programmable computer with a cathode ray tube memory. Free, except for temporary exhibits (prices vary). (updated May 2023)
• 3 Roman Fort (Mamucium, Mancunium), off Liverpool Road. Not much survives of Manchester's four Roman settlements, but what is left can be seen in the gardens of Castlefield running from Liverpool Road down to Castle Street. The North Gate of the fourth fort on Duke Street, along with a section of the fort's West Wall, its gatehouse, granaries, and other ancillary buildings from the vicus have been reconstructed and are open to the public.  
• 4 Manchester Central, Windmill Street, ☏ +44 161 834-2700, fax: +44 161 832-3621. Open only during events. Manchester Central (formerly "G-MEX") was once Manchester Central railway station and it carries the air of many of the grand stations in London with its enormous arched steel frame and giant railway clock. These days it is home to Manchester's largest exhibitions and fairs. Attached is the much newer and thoroughly unimpressive International Conference Centre. Price varies with event.  
• 5 Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, ☏ +44 161 950-0000, fax: +44 161 950-0001, admin@bridgewater-hall.co.uk. M-F 10AM-8PM, Sa noon-6PM. Manchester's main classical music venue is a stunning musically-inspired building dating from 1996. It is home to the world-famous Hallé orchestra and boasts an enormous 5500-pipe organ across the whole of one wall. The building is also home to a cafe and restaurant. Free entry to building.  
• The Merchant's Bridge, near Catalan Square. Look up and marvel at the massive Victorian structure which carries the metrolink trams and trains over the canals. 
• 6 Castlefield Viaduct, Castlefield Viaduct, M3 4LG. 11AM-4PM. Victorian railway viaduct transformed into a 'sky park' Advance booking essential. Check website. Open on an experimental basis until summer 2023. Free but donations welcome. (updated Nov 2022)
• Saul Hay Gallery, Bass Warehouse, Castle St M3 4LZ (beneath Viaduct), ☏ +44 161 222-4800. Tu-Sa 10:30AM-6PM. A small commercial gallery in a former beer warehouse, specialising in local contemporary art with changing exhibitions. Free. (updated Jan 2023)
• 7 Factory International, Water Street, M3 4JQ. New landmark building containing performance spaces and new home to the Manchester International Festival. Opening in June 2023. (updated Nov 2022)

Do

• 1 Odeon Great Northern, 235 Deansgate, M3 4EN (corner of Deansgate & Peter Street). 16-screen cinema multiplex. Shows the usual Hollywood movies. £8 adults. (updated Oct 2022)
• Interflora World Cup is held at Manchester Central on 7-9 Sept 2023. This flower-arrangement competition is between those who have already won national contests. It's held every four years, with 2015 in Berlin and 2019 in Philadelphia.

Eat

Most bars in Castlefield provide bar meals.

• Dukes 92. Famous for its huge cheese and paté boards. Plus, they serve a selection of pizzas late into the night. 
• Alberts Shed. Restaurant which offers mid-priced modern Italian cuisine. 
• Deansgate Food Bar & Grill. Situated next to Deansgate station, it's a cheap and friendly authentic greasy spoon. (updated Nov 2022)
• The Twisted Med, Arch 8, Catalan Square, M3 4RU (Castlefield (near Deansgate Station)), ☏ +44 161 839-7099. Greek, Spanish and Italian-influenced Mediterranean cuisine set in a beautiful high end location of the city centre. 
• Dimitri's, Campfield Arcade, Deansgate, M3 4FN (Opposite Beetham Tower), ☏ +44 161 839-3319, manchester@dimitris.co.uk. A taverna with live acts as well as underground seating in a plush environment. Food and drink is competitively priced but well worth the money for the spectacular quality and authenticity of the food and dining experience as a whole. 
• The Wharf see Drink.

Drink

Canal boats in Castlefield

Castlefield bars are extremely popular during the summer months when tourists, local residents, and city centre workers flock to the area to enjoy the large outdoor drinking areas and views across the Bridgewater Canal. Overall, Castlefield is trendy but sometimes pricey.

• 1 Dukes 92, 18-20 Castle Street, M3 4LZ. Su-Th 11:30AM - 11PM, F Sa 11:30AM-1AM. By far the most popular venue in Castlefield, Dukes 92 has an unusual, but successful, mix of antique furniture, modern deep leather sofas, and minimalist décor. Although relatively quiet in winter, it is hugely popular on hot summer days due to its large patio area overlooking lock number 92 of the Rochdale Canal. An outside bar has been installed to reduce what can be a lengthy wait for refreshment. (updated Oct 2022)
• 2 Oxnoble, 71 Liverpool Road. Su-W 9AM-11PM, Th-Sa 9AM-midnight. Away from the Castlefield basin on Liverpool Road you will find The Oxnoble. It has the distinction of being the only pub in the country to be named after a potato - the Ox Noble. (updated Oct 2022)
• 3 White Lion, 43 Liverpool Road. M-Th 11AM-11PM; F Sa 11AM-midnight; Su noon-11PM. Modernised traditional pub, although it does feature on its walls an interesting aerial photograph of pre-developed Castlefield. Soundtrack of soul and funk with congenial staff set it apart from the others. (updated Oct 2022)
• 4 The Wharf, 6 Slate Wharf, Castlefield, M15 4ST (accessed from the curved white footbridge; rail: Deansgate; Metrolink Deansgate-Castlefield), ☏ +44 161 220-2960. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Excellent choice of food & drink. On-line bookings from website. (updated Nov 2022)

Deansgate Locks

The Deansgate Locks are a bunch of bars and clubs alongside a set of locks:

• The Comedy Store, ☏ +44 870 593 2932. From free to £15. 

Petersfield

• 5 Society, 101 Barbirolli Square, M2 3BD (In the sunken square next to the Bridgewater Hall). Su-Th 11AM-11:30PM, F Sa 11AM-12:30AM. Bar run by the Vocation brewery featuring a large choice of craft beers with a shared food space. Also Cocktail & wine bar. Coffee is available. (updated Nov 2022)
• 6 Britons Protection, 50 Bridgewater St. Behind the stage door entrance of the Bridgewater Hall. It is here where many a poor mug "took The King's Shilling" and found himself press-ganged into the army. Largest selection of whisky in the city. 
• 7 Peveril of the Peak, 127 Great Bridgewater Street, M1 5JQ, ☏ +44 161 236-6364. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10:30PM. Spectacular green tiled exterior and traditional room layout form this very traditional pub. Real Ales available. (updated Nov 2022)

Sleep

Budget

• 1 YHA Manchester, Potato Wharf, Castlefield, M3 4NB, ☏ +44 845 371 9647. Boasting views across the canal, this no frills hostel is centrally located with easy access to Castlefield and the city centre. It offers a game room, TV, cafe and restaurant, guest kitchen, laundry, internet access, and parking facilities. £35-45 for bed in shared room. Private rooms also available.. (updated Oct 2022)
• Holiday Inn Express Manchester, Oxford Road Manchester (2-minute walk from Oxford Road Train Station). City centre location. Modern, comfortable bedrooms. 

Mid-range

• Castlefield Hotel, Liverpool Rd, ☏ +44 161 832-7073. Castlefield's hidden gem. Mid-priced three star hotel with the best leisure facilities in the city centre, including an 18-m heated pool, sauna, gym and steam rooms. The hotel offers free WiFi and has parking available for an extra charge. From £49 for private rooms. 
• Oxnoble, Liverpool Road. A friendly welcome and a few reasonably priced rooms. (updated Oct 2022)
• Mollie's Motel on Quay St opens in April 2024.

Splurge

The Beetham Tower, the newest addition to Manchester's skyline, is the tallest building in UK outside of London. Manchester's Hilton occupies the lower half of the building.

• Hilton Manchester Deansgate, Beetham Tower. A five-star Hilton housed within the Beetham Tower that offers amazing views over Castlefield, Manchester and beyond. 
• The Midland Hotel, Peter St, Manchester, M60 2DS, ☏ +44 161 236-3333, Stay@qhotels.co.uk. Manchester's only grand old hotel, The Midland is a red brick hotel off St Peter's Square in the heart of the city. Luxurious as it is impressive, this is the hotel in which Rolls met Royce. 
• 2 Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Oxford Street, M60 7HA, ☏ +44 161 288-1111. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Oct 2022)

Connect

Routes through Castlefield-Petersfield

/ ← Salford ←	W  E	→ merges with /
Salford ← merges with / ←	W  E	→ Universities → Piccadilly
Sale ← Old Trafford ←	SW  NE	→ Spinningfields-Albert Square → Victoria-Shopping District
Salford ←	W  E	→ continues as