The Green Heys fields were located in the inner-city south of Manchester. They were large grassy areas that were rural and considered the countryside to those who lived in the heart of the city. Green Heys was left untouched by factories, machines, or mill owners. It was filled with walking paths, the sounds of nature, and was a haven for men and women who needed peace and space. The city was constantly bustling, loud, and demanding. Green Heys became a refuge for the classes as they spent time outdoors and away from mistreatment. Life was slower outside the city, even if it was only a thirty minute walk. The environment of the fields was refreshing, freeing, and calm for those who took the time to enjoy and heal from the acres of landscape. In Mary Barton the Wilson and Barton family spend their day off relishing the land before chaos and sorrow strike them down for the remainder of the novel. Elizabeth Gaskell’s depiction of this day is to illustrate the difficulties of the working class and their rare experiences with freedom and comfort.

Bland, D. S. “Mary Barton and Historical Accuracy.” The Review of English Studies, vol. 1, no.1, Oxford University Press, 1950, pp. 58–60, http://www.jstor.org/stable/511777.