Field Trip to Angel Meadow

 I took the opportunity while in Manchester for a funeral to visit Angel Meadow. I have been researching this area so much, making work about it, writing about it for so long now I wanted to stand on the land and experience it. 

I took a Tascam to record a site specific recording of some research I had written. I had tried to write spoken word / poetry and I had written a factual information sheet. Recording on site on a very windy day with noisy construction work proved very challenging. After many attempts with the Tascam I decided to use my iphone! The Tascam was picking up too much noise even with a sock. The result was pretty low fi but it felt authentic. It was only my first attempt to see what works and what doesn't.

It felt good to be there and to acknowledge the people who lived and died there. The area is vastly different and is surrounded by apartments and studios. The park is still used and it is remarkable the land has not been built on, knowing Manchester Council's attitude to land and historical buildings / sites.

The area of Angel Meadow where the mass grave is located.

Graves from inside the church which was on the site, now demoslished.

The steps where Angels were seen, 

said it guard the children who were buried here.

Step wall and rail detail

Charter House Mission, former ragged school which looked after children in the area.

Still used today as a homeless shelter and access office.

Detail of the Charter House Mission, the last standing original building in the area.