Central Retail District in Manchester in Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
William Harrison Ainsworth
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 14, 2026
1. William Harrison Ainsworth Marker
1805–1883
Novelist
Born in a house which stood on this site
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1805.
Location. 53° 28.864′ N, 2° 14.625′ W. Marker is in Manchester, England, in Greater Manchester. It is in the Central Retail District. It is at the intersection of King Street and Cheapside, on the left when traveling east on King Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 55 King Street, Manchester, England M2 4JF, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North West England. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: York Hotel (a few steps from this marker); Charles Robert Cockerell (a few steps from this marker); Charles White (a few steps from this marker); John Benjamin Dancer
this page online
Also see . . . William Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882) — King of the Historical Potboiler: A Brief Biography.
Although little read today, William Harrison Ainsworth turned out so many historical romances over his sixty-year career as a writer that to his contemporaries he was the king of the historical potboiler. Today, Ainsworth...is chiefly remembered for popularizing the story of the highwayman Dick Turpin in Rookwood (1834) and the legend of Herne the Hunter in Windsor Castle (1843).(Submitted on November 9, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)
Additional keywords. black plaque
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 14, 2026
2. William Harrison Ainsworth Marker
The plaque is affixed to the modern 55 King Street.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 9, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
