Angel Meadow Manchester History Tour with Author Dean Kirby
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Step back in time to the rain-lashed streets of Angel Meadow – the Victorian Manchester slum so vile it was dubbed ‘Hell upon Earth’ by Friedrich Engels.
In the shadow of one of the world’s first cotton mills, 30,000 souls trapped by poverty are fighting for survival as the Industrial Revolution is built upon their backs.
Mancunian families are struggling to keep body and soul together in overcrowded lodging houses and deep cellars on the banks of the River Irk as gangs of scuttlers stalk the pavements outside.
In this new tour by me, historian and writer Dean Kirby, the author of the bestselling book Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain's Most Savage Slum, you will hear the hidden story of how the district and its people shaped one of the world's greatest cities.
Whether, like me, you are a descendant of Angel Meadow ancestors or have a burning passion to explore the history of Manchester, this tour is for you.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Not recommended for travelers unable to negotiate steps
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
St. Michael's Flags & Angel Meadow Park
Step back in time to the rain-lashed streets of Angel Meadow – the Victorian Manchester slum so vile it was dubbed ‘Hell upon Earth’ by Friedrich Engels. In the shadow of one of the world’s first cotton mills, 30,000 souls trapped by poverty are fighting for survival as the Industrial Revolution is built upon their backs. Mancunian families are struggling to keep body and soul together in overcrowded lodging houses and deep cellars on the banks of the River Irk as gangs of scuttlers stalk the pavements outside. In this tour by historian and writer Dean Kirby, the author of the bestselling book Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain's Most Savage Slum, you will walk alongside the River Irk, through the tree-lined Angel Meadow park and down streets where new apartments stand alongside former ragged schools and hear the hidden story of how the district and its people shaped one of the world’s greatest cities.
What‘s Included
Bring a copy of my book and I'll sign and dedicate it for you.
Small group sizes so you can ask questions and have plenty of time to take photographs.
If your ancestors lived in Angel Meadow, contact me before and I'll mention them on the tour.
Regular stops where you’ll hear about the unusual characters who called Angel Meadow home.
Options
Angel Meadow Manchester History Tour with Author Dean Kirby
Reviews
76 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent afternoon !
262lynnep,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Having ancestors from this area, I was particularly interested in taking Dean's history tour. The tour lasts around an hour and a half and isn't particularly strenuous. Dean is obviously an expert on Angel Meadow, having written a book by the same name. It wasn't just facts, figures and dates though as his stories were brought to life by a number of nefarious characters such as Cabbage Ann and Stumpy to name a couple. Loved seeing places I've never seen before and I'm a Mancunian. Thanks Dean !
A fun and engaging tour
Trek07766429476,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dean is a passionate, friendly tour guide with knowledge of the Angel Meadow area that is second to none. He literally wrote a book about it . Had a wonderful afternoon touring the area where we learned about history, stories of the characters and the tour guides own personal connection to the area. Fascinating stuff. We even saw bits of Manchester we didn’t know existed. Thanks Dean, keep up the good tours!
Bringing hidden histories of Manchester to life
289dawnw,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really enjoyable and informative walking tour. Dean has researched his walk extensively and gave lots of examples of Angel Meadows residents which brought the subject to life. We saw a part of Manchester that we have not visited before. A great experience.
A great tour
405lynnh,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great afternoon. Dean was a great host and we both found the tour really interesting. I have read Deans book Angel meadow and have ancestors that came from that area, Dean brought it all to life.
Angel Meadow’s history is brought to life by Dean Kirby
donalt678,Apr 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A first class tour because Dean made it come to life with his encyclopedic knowledge regarding Angel Meadow. It was obvious that a lot of research had been done beforehand. Each stop had an input of what had happened in that period of time at that point and was backed up with photographs and drawings. Dean also had lots of stories which amused the group. The end of the tour was unusual but I won’t spoil it for others.
A fascinating informative tour of Angel Meadow Manchester.
MchaelB48,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a fascinating, informative tour of Angel Meadow with great historical stories and also personalised by Dean with our family home location. Having read Engels “The condition of the working class in England“ and Davies “ The gangs of Manchester” as well as Dean’s own book “Angel Meadow” Dean’s tour put colour and perspective on a very dark and sinister area of Victorian Manchester. Highly recommend the tour.
Really interesting city tour
W9102RHrosel,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I took my mum on this tour and we both absolutely loved it! It was so interesting to find out more about the city, there is some fascinating history here and Dean tells the stories in a really engaging way. His personal connection to the area shines through and you can tell he’s very passionate about the subject. The walk wasn’t strenuous and showed us some spots of Manchester we’d never noticed before which was nice. Excellent value for money, we’ll be back for Dean’s next tour!
An excellent , thought provoking and insightful tour.
Sherpa74084,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent history tour around Angel Meadow with Dean Kirby. A compact walk packed with interesting information from Dean. He really is passionate about this subject matter based in no small part on the historical context of his own family. He saves a really touching part right at the end of the tour.All in all a really wonderful tour that gives a sensitive and thoughtful insight into early Industrial Manchester, how it affected the thousands of desperately poor people escaping famine, poverty and persecution. Some really interesting insights into the characters of Angel meadow and how it changed the world, for better and for worse ( some might argue).
Informative illuminating and quite emotional if you have connections to angel meadow
lorrainesR7451IY,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really lovely tour around angel meadow and environs . Attended with my 2 sisters and Dean really brought the buried history to life. If you have ancestry in Angel meadow or personal stories related to life in " hell upon earth" then it's a great place to share. With all the bright and shiny buildings encroaching the meadow, a sight our ancestors would find unbelievable , it's good to find glimpses of the past . Thankyou dean we enjoyed it very much
Highly Recommend!
Niall P,Mar 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I find Dean’s tour of Angel Meadows well worth it. I learned a lot about an area of Manchester I knew nothing about despite it being so central, and having lived in Manchester for over 40 years. Dean made history come to life, and he has a very friendly manner, as well as deep and real roots in the area. I highly recommend this tour.
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