Discover Altrincham, Greater Manchester

Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, on the southern part of Greater Manchester, England. Located on the southern side of River Mersey, about 13 km from downtown Manchester, Altrincham has a population of around 45,000 people (2012 estimate). It was historically part of Cheshire until 1974, when the Greater Manchester area was created.

Old Market Place, Altrincham: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Altrincham_Old_Market_Place.jpg
Author: Andreeg2001


Human habitation in the area surrounding Altrincham goes back to prehistoric times, as evidenced in the discovery of Neolithic arrowheads there. The area was under Saxon rule until the Norman Conquest, after which it became the property of Hamon de Massey. The town was mentioned for the first time in 1290, when it received a charter to hold a weekly market. When the Massey family became extinct in 1340, Altrincham became property of the Earl of Stamford.

In 1765, Altrincham experienced growth as a vegetable farming area when the Bridgewater Canal was extended there. By 1776, the canal was completed, linking Manchester via Altrincham to the Irish Sea, immensely benefiting the town's industrial growth.

Altrincham experienced one more burst of high growth in the post World War II years, but by the 1970s was facing a decline. The town economy has evolved to embrace shopping, but faces stiff competition from Trafford Centre and downtown Manchester. Major retailers in Altrincham include Tesco, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer.

Seamons Moss Bridge, Altrincham: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seamonsmossbridge.jpg
Author: David Long

Visiting Altrincham

You can reach Altrincham by taking the A56 road from Manchester.

Places of Interest in Altrincham

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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