Page:The Grand junction railway companion to Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham; (IA grandjunctionrai00free).pdf/178



is situated at the confluence of the rivers Irk and Irwell, in the County of Lancaster, the Hundred of Salford, and Diocese of Chester. It is 18 miles from Warrington, 186 from London, and about 33 from Liverpool. It is the principal seat of the Cotton Manufactories, and is fast adding the Silk to its already extensive trade; with its suburbs, including Salford, it contains 226,931 inhabitants. The antiquity of Manchester is clearly proved, as (on the authority of Mr. Whitaker we state) there are accounts of its existence 500 years B. C. It was named by the Britons Mancenion; by the Romans Mancuninum and Mancestre; and on the departure of the Romans, Man-kastalh, signifying Man-Castle or City of Man; and in the wars of the Saxons the inhabitants well carned the appellation, as they did not submit for 20 years after all other parts of Lancashire were subdued, and the Isles of Anglesey and Mau, and the principality of North Wales, had succumbed to the invaders. Like its neighbour. Liverpool. Manchester was exposed to