History of Salford - Geography

Geography

Further information: Geography of Greater Manchester

Neighbouring towns, villages and places.

	Worsley	Swinton and Pendlebury	Prestwich
	Eccles		Manchester
		Salford
	Stretford	Manchester	Manchester

At 53°28′59″N 2°17′35″W / 53.48306°N 2.29306°W / 53.48306; -2.29306 (53.483°, −2.2931°), and 205 miles (330 km) northwest of central London, Salford stands about 177 feet (54 m) above sea level, on relatively flat ground to the west of a meander of the River Irwell – the city's main topographical feature. In 1904 Salford was recorded as "within a great loop of the River Irwell ... roughly three quarters of a mile from north to south and one mile from east to west". Salford is contiguous with Manchester, and has been described "in participation of its trade, and for all other practical purposes, an integral part of it; presents a near resemblance to it in streets and edifices; contains several public buildings and a great public park, which belong fully more to Manchester than to itself". Greengate, the original centre of Salford, is located at a fording point on the river opposite Manchester Cathedral. In 1969 Nikolaus Pevsner wrote:

That Stretford and Salford are not administratively one with Manchester is one of the most curious anomalies of England. —Nikolaus Pevsner, Lancashire, The Industrial and Commercial South, 1969

Salford
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 70 6 1 50 7 1 60 9 3 50 12 4 60 15 7 70 18 10 70 20 12 80 20 12 70 17 10 80 14 8 80 9 4 80 7 2 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: Records and averages, Yahoo! Weather, 2008, http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/UKXX0129_c.html
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.8 43 34 2 45 34 2.4 48 37 2 54 39 2.4 59 45 2.8 64 50 2.8 68 54 3.1 68 54 2.8 63 50 3.1 57 46 3.1 48 39 3.1 45 36 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

The Irwell, sourced at Cliviger in Lancashire, flows from the north and for a distance forms the statutory boundary between Salford and Manchester. Flooding has historically been a problem and the Irwell has seen much modification along its course in Salford with some bends being removed, channelisation, and the construction of levees and bank reinforcements. Salford has expanded along the river valley to the north and south and on to higher ground on the valley sides at Irlams o' th' Height and Higher Broughton. Unconsolidated glacial deposits along the riverbank at Broughton have caused several landslides along the riverbank. The City Engineer's Department of the City of Salford recorded one such incident near Great Clowes Street in February 1882, and others in 1886, 1887 and 1888. In 1892 the road was propped with timber supports. The tram service along the road was discontinued in 1925, and the road closed to mechanically propelled vehicles in January 1926. Further slips saw the road closed completely in July 1933, and although no substantial movements have been recorded since 1948 slow subsidence around the Cliff continues to this day.

Salford's built environment is made up of a range of building stock. Some inner-city areas are noted for chronic urban decay. Salford's housing stock is characterised by an oversupply of older, smaller terraced housing and flatted accommodation that declined in value during the late 20th century. As demand fell, it left many owners in negative equity and often without the means to maintain their homes in reasonable condition. As a result, much of the built environment is poor.

The land use in Salford is overwhelmingly urban, with a number of green spaces. The largest is Kersal Dale Country Park, which covers about 32 hectares (0.32 km2). Others include Kersal Moor in Higher Kersal, The Meadow, Peel Park and the adjacent David Lewis Recreation Ground close to the University of Salford, and Albert Park and Clowes Park in Broughton. The territory of Salford is contiguous with other towns on all sides, and as defined by the Office for National Statistics forms the sixth-largest settlement in the Greater Manchester Urban Area, the United Kingdom's third largest conurbation. The M602 motorway enters Salford from Eccles to the west. The A580 "East Lancashire Road" terminates at Salford, entering the area from Pendlebury. Heavy rail lines pass through Salford.