Manchester

Five forgotten Manchester landmarks and sculptures from years gone by

And what happened to them...

Danny Jones - 24th August 2024

The Manchester skyline and surrounding landscape are always shifting and evolving year after year, with new buildings being erected and recognisable old corners getting facelifts, but sometimes the winds of change blow so hard that once familiar landmarks are completely flown from our memories.

It’s just the way the metropolitan cookie crumbles sometimes; being a city as innovative, progressive and fast-growing as we are means that the Manc face is always shifting, but it only further adds to our ever-unfolding history and heritage.

But just because things change doesn’t mean we forget entirely – sometimes we just need the memory jogging with helpful little articles like, oh, this one for instance.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up just a small handful of the forgotten Manchester landmarks, sculptures and points of interest from the past that may have slipped your mind. Let’s start with one that

Old Manchester landmarks and sculptures you may have forgotten

The Wheel of Manchester

manchester wheel exchange square — The wheel lit up at night in Piccadilly.

Yes, remember when Manchester had its own London Eye? Well, the ‘Manchester Eye’, the ‘Big Wheel’ or whatever you preferred to call it when it still graced our streets.

For anyone struggling to recall it, the transportable Ferris wheel used to stand pride of place in Piccadilly Gardens before moving to Exchange Square in front of Selfridges and just across from the Arndale – right around where you’ll find various pop-up stalls and many of the Christmas Markets these days.

First assembled back in 2004 before being made a whole 60 metres bigger in 2007, it ultimately began being dismantled in 2012 ahead of the celebrations for the London Olympics and various works on the Metrolink tram line. It had several sponsors in its lifetime but took its final spin in 2015. RIP.

Market Street Obelisk

Just seen this on @TheMancUK FB page. Absolutely blew my mind…. zero recollection of this at all. Couldnt have been up for long 🤔🤔🤔. Can remember the Market Street Mincer clear as day but not the Market Street Obelisk. Make it make sense 🫠🫠🫠(pic taken in 96) pic.twitter.com/1qSsonaxTB
— Manchester_builds (@McrBuilds) August 21, 2024

Next up is one that is still technically around but now seems like it couldn’t have possibly sat in its original location: the Market Street Obelisk.

Placed there in the 90s, the idea was supposed to help give Manchester’s main high street a more market town feel – think a kind of focal point in the middle of a town square – and although it did provide an easy meeting spot on lunch breaks, it was ultimately prone to little more than loitering.

The pillar was ultimately removed in 1997 and then moved to Crumpsall Park where it still remains to this day and, dare we say it, the obelisk looks much better in its current location than it did on Market St.

crumpsall park statue — Credit: **David Dixon** (via Geograph)

Tib Street Horn

Perhaps more commonly known as the ‘Big Horn’ back in the day, it still feels like only yesterday that we were walking down towards the corner of Tib and Thomas St in the Northern Quarter and looking up the remaining structures of the old hat factory building and the trombone-shaped sculpture hanging off it.

Designed by artist David Kemp back in 1999 as part of his ‘Unsound Instruments’ series, we’ll admit it always looked a bit random but we still had a lot of affection for it and it certainly served as a bit of natural signposting in the district.

After the plot it was on was bought out, the sculpture was donated to Manchester city council in 2017 and although it’s not too long ago since we said goodbye to it, this thing could even be tooting its way back into our lives someday soon…

Northern Quarter’s iconic ‘Big Horn’ could be coming back to Tib Street

One of the more recently forgotten Manchester landmarks.

B of the Bang

The penultimate point of interest on our list is the immortally interesting sculpture and just as intriguingly titled B of the Bang by artist Thomas Heatherwick, which we still just commonly refer to as ‘the big spikey thing’ when it seems to come up in conversation.

It felt like we’d wiped this from our hard drives completely at one point as it seems strange to think that this (respectfully) death trap stood near walkways towards what would ultimately become the Etihad Stadium, close to passing traffic and was even green-lit to begin with, to be honest.

Inspired by sprinter Linford Christie’s description of a starting gun and commissioned in honour of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, it ended up costing a total of £1.42 million to build – twice as much as was originally intended – and was finished in 2005, but it only lasted four years after spikes started falling off.

old spike sculpture manchester — SportCity’s once eye-catching sculpture.

what happened to the b of the bang? — SportCity’s once eye-catching sculpture.

Belle Vue Zoo and fairground

Last but not least, this blast from the past might pre-date many of you (ourselves included), but it’s still pretty mad to think that long before Belle Vue Sports Village served its modern function, it was once a zoological garden, amusement park and all-North West tourist attraction.

Yes, even before its days as a speedway stadium and greyhound arena – which was finally phased out in 2015 after decades as a much-loved pastime for locals – Belle Vue used to house exotic animals from all over the world, feature a number of classic fairground rides and serve as an exhibition hall.

Belle Vue Zoo eventually closed in September 1977 after the owners could no longer afford to run it, though the amusement park itself remained open during supper periods until around 1980. The land was finally sold in 1982 and now, the best of a half-century later, it’s a far cry away from what

belle vue amusement park manchester — Credit: **Local Image Collectio**n (via Flickr)

belle vue zoological gardens — Credit: **Local Image Collectio**n (via Flickr)

Now, as always with these round-ups, it goes without saying that this is by no means an exhaustive list and given how much Manchester changes from month to month, let alone over the course of a full year, we’re sure there’ll be a few more added to it by the next time you read this.

That being said, if there are any glaring omissions that you think we’ve overlooked then feel free to give us hell in the comments – that’s what they’re for after all.

In fact, whilst you’re here: is there a Manc landmark that you really miss and wish we could bring back?

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Featured Images — Credit: oldcolorimages.com/Local Image Collection (via Flickr)