Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Wrightington

"Dating back to the 15th century, the Manchester Cathedral has experienced quite a bit of history! After Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, the Cathedral's riches were confiscated. During the English Civil war in the mid 17th century, pitched battles were fought inside and around the Cathedral between the Royalists (those supporting Charles I, the Stewarts, and the Anglican Church) and the Roundheads (Oliver Cromwell loyalists). Also Ann Lee, the founder of the religious movement called the Shakers interrupted services here when she lived in Manchester. The church was targeted by the Nazi Luftwaffe and received a direct head during the bombings of 1940. Yet through all this the Church maintains it's quiet dignity and beauty. It is a must see while in Manchester!"

"Standing proud since 1421 when Henry V signed a royal charter granting permission for a collegiate church to be built, the iconic Manchester Cathedral has survived world wars, bombings and the industrial revolution first hand. Admire the beautiful stained glass windows and carved ceilings as you wander around the building and listen to the sound of choristers and jazz that is often playing. If you want to learn more about the building there are guided tours every day at 11 am and 2 pm Monday to Saturday."

"As I mentioned just before, Manchester Cathedral is located in the city centre, so you don’t have to walk far. Actually, most of the photo locations in Manchester are located very close to each other, so at no point, you have to walk for more than 20-25 minutes. However, there are free buses in Manchester, so if it rains, you can definitely hop on one and head to Manchester Cathedral."

"A respite from Blackpool’s glossy entertainment and arcades, the resort’s largest park is in 260 acres, a mile east of the promenade. The man behind the park’s design in the 1920s was the landscape architect Thomas Mawson, and he was responsible for a couple of the buildings. The most striking is the cafe, in an Art Deco style and overlooking the Italian Garden, adorned with statues (see the two Medici lions) and a beautiful marble fountain."

"Blackpool’s beautiful Stanley Park is on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England and is Grade II listed. It attracts 2 million visitors every year and was recently voted the UK’s best park for the second time in 3 years. When you visit, it is easy to see why!"

"This beautiful park opened up in 1926 {which was news to me!. } and it has everything from an iconic bandstand, a beautiful boating lake and Italian style gardens. My kids and I love nothing more than a good old-fashioned picnic under the shade of the trees in Stanley Park, especially on a good day!"

"Showcasing more than 50 dazzling displays and more than 2,000 spectacular aquatic creatures including tropical sharks, colourful reef fish, octopus, rays and sea horses, SEA LIFE Blackpool is the perfect way to experience the wonders of underwater life without getting wet!"

"We spent nearly 2 hours at the Sea life Centre in Blackpool with 3 children age 7, 6 and 5. We had passes for all attractions and both Sea Life and Madame Tussauds were big hits with the kids. We have visited a few sea life centres and found this one was one of the best."

"St Mary’s RC Church (The Hidden Gem) has been enriching the faith of all catholic believers in Manchester since its establishment in 1794. Serving the community with its regular mas and services, you will feel comfortable and safe practising your beliefs and religion in this church. Apart from the holy mass, they also hold regular confessions 6 times a week from 11 AM to 12 Noon from Mondays to Wednesday and Thursdays to Fridays and from 10:30 AM to 11:15 on Saturdays."

"Another religious site worth visiting - and something of a hidden gem in Manchester - is St. Mary's Catholic Church. Built in 1794 and located next to the historic Market Hall, it's also known locally as "The Hidden Gem." But don't let the structure's rather plain exterior stop you from popping in for a look inside. Here, you'll find numerous fine Victorian carvings."

"Lightoaks Park is a larger and popular park in Salford, officially opened in 1925. The park is maintained by a large and active group of volunteers – The Friends of Lightoaks Park. In normal times, the group organise regular events for the local community, as well as maintain the park to a high standard."

"And so we get to our number one, best park in Salford as voted for by 44.5% of participants in my survey. Light Oaks Park it seems is the one that many people see as the park to go to in the city. Situated in Claremont, the park was opened in 1925 and is one of the larger parks in Salford."

"You can walk along the canal, through the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park on your way to the Museum of Science and Industry. Castlefield Urban Heritage Park. Admire the old industrial buildings, soak up the atmosphere of the canal, and see how Manchester used to be in years gone by."

"Within Preston city centre, you'll find the Preston Cenotaph. The Cenotaph is a stunning Grade I listed structure, standing proud in recognition of the men who lost their lives in WWI. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the Cenotaph was restored in 2013 and is an important part of Preston's heritage."

"The Cenotaph stands proudly in Market Square, dedicated to solders from both World Wars. This is certainly something to remember and what better way to do so than eternalising it in your wedding photos?"

"Stood high on Castle Hill dominating Clitheroe’s skyline for over 800 years, Clitheroe Castle Museum is now open after a complete makeover and offers a day of exploration for all the family. Explore the hands-on galleries, collections and displays which reveal amazing stories and take you on a journey through 350 million years of history."

"Located near Preston Dock, the Ribble Steam Railway museum invites you to hop aboard a heritage train ride on one of their working steam trains. The museum makes a fantastic and interactive day out for all the family, delving into Preston's historical links to steam trains and Preston Dock. See their Diesel Locomotives, Steam Locomotives, miniature railway, and much more."

"This attraction features well-maintained locomotives that date back more than 100 years. A preserved railway, it is now also the home of the collection from the Southport Railway Museum and was opened to public access in 2005. It also operates passenger services from Preston Riverside to and from Strand Road Crossing."

"If it’s action, adventure and celeb selfies you’re after, then Madame Tussauds is the place to go. There’s a new Marvel Comics attraction, which feels just like you’re stepping into a comic strip and coming face to face with your heroes. Our boys loved attempting to lift Thor’s hammer and a New York taxi Hulk-style!"

"Take a walk right down to the end of Oxford Road and you’ll find The Whitworth. An impressive and ornate red-brick structure, this popular Manchester art gallery certainly looks the part from the outside – and once inside visitors will find over 60,000 internationally important artworks to explore. Everything from weaving to sculpture is included within its recently refurbished walls – and best of all, much of it is free to explore."

"The Whitworth relaunched in 2015 after a massive refurbishment and only went on to win an award for Museum of the Year by the Art Fund in its first year. They have a constantly changing display of collections and a wide spectrum of art in their temporary exhibitions. The Whitworth is located in South Manchester, I would recommend taking public transport as it’s quite a walk otherwise."

"From Wednesday May 19, the stunning Whitworth gallery will be partially reopen to the public, with a film screening of Imran Perretta: the destructors on display. The cafe will be back open too, but the full gallery will be up and running again by July 1, in time for its MIF21 summer exhibition. Plan your visit at whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/visit."

"Inside this stunning building, you will find interesting and thought-proving exhibitions that show how war has shaped the world. Throughout the year there are new exhibitions exploring different stories, events and peoples experiences. The kids will enjoy getting hands-on in the TimeShack where they will find object handling sessions and storytelling sessions, and also getting creative in the Learning Studio where they can make something craft to take home!"

"Explore collections that tell the stories of conflict, from the First World War to the present day in IWM North’s Main Exhibition Space. Discover the forgotten histories of service personnel and civilians, see conflict through the eyes of artists and immerse yourself in the Big Picture Show this summer. This is a place where every object on display, every contemporary work of art and every exhibition is designed to live long in the memory."

"The Northern sister to London’s Imperial War Museum, the Manchester venue is just as engrossing, and sobering as it’s southern equivalent. Built on the ruins of the docklands industrial area, which was bombed heavily itself during the Blitz. A stunning collection, ranging from World War memorabilia to sections of the World Trade Center wreckage can be found in one of the best collections to be found in any museums in Manchester."

"Buile Hill Park is, for many, the pillar of the Salford community. Situated in Seedley and Pendleton, it is the largest park in the city, and also the second oldest behind Peel Park. The park as we know it today was opened in 1903 when, what was known as Seedley Park, and the grounds of Buile Hill house were joined together by the closure of the ‘dog entry’ path which had separated them."