Angel Meadow/St Michael's Flags

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 15 Mar 2012

This pleasant city park between Aspin Lane and Old Mount Street is divided by an old wall. The land between this wall and Angel Street was once the churchyard of St Michael's and All Angels Church which was built in 1788 and stood until 1935. The rest of the land was the Parochial Burial Ground. The “new Burying Ground”, or “The Flags” as it later became known, was consecrated in 1787 to serve the grossly overcrowded Angel Meadow area and was the largest cemetery in Manchester. It was used for burying paupers who had no money for a proper burial. By 1816 the burial ground was full and closed down. Covered in flagstones, it then became a children's playground known as “St Michael’s Flags”. The flags remained in place until they were removed in 2001 when the site was renovated to create the park we see today. More information and photos at Manchester History Net http://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/tours/tour16/area16page8.html and Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael's_Flags_and_Angel_Meadow_Park .

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