Sun Inn, Long Millgate

Sun Inn, Long Millgate, 1865. (c) Greater Manchester County Records Office [1].

The Sun Inn used to face the entrance to Cheethams College on Long Millgate.  The pub was also known as Poets' Corner, due to its proximity to the College and the fact that the pub was used as a meeting place for many of Manchester's poets.  The pub is described in one such poet's biography, that of John Critchley Prince, in 1841:

"The Sun Inn was one of those ancient and picturesque houses which occasionally start to view like spectres of a bygone age, but are now fast disappearing before the levelling hand of improvement."

Sounds familiar when you consider the number of historic Manchester pubs that have been razed to the ground in the name of progress in recent years.


Poets' Corner, Long Millgate. (c) gerald-massey.org.uk.

"In external appearance is presents a singular contrast to the neat, uniform aspect of our modern mansions, being clumsily supported by irregular beams, and its walls being composed of dry clay and plaster. It exhibits great antiquity, in one place bearing the date 1612, apparently inscribed to commemorate some alteration having taken place. It is divided by awkward and ill-planned passages, such as are found in old habitations, though it contains one commodious apartment. 

The Sun Inn soon became, through Prince and other literary men, the rendezvous of the rhyming fraternity of the county, and the its quaint snug parlour, the 'commodious apartment' referred to, were attracted many a genial soul, poets and their satellites, who enjoyed the wit and humour, gossip and melody, which nightly its walls vocal [2]."

Sun Inn, Long Millgate. (c) Greater Manchester County Records Office [1].

At some point in the 19th century the Sun Inn lost its licence and was split into a book shop and a cake shop, before being finally demolished around 1889.


Long Millgate. (c) Greater Manchester County Records Office [1].

1. www.gmcro.co.uk. 
2. http://gerald-massey.org.uk/prince/c_biog_3.htm.