Series: Centre for Applied Archaeology unpublished report series

In June 2020, Salford Archaeology was commissioned by Tritax Symmetry to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Symmetry Park, Huyton Merseyside (centred on Centred at NGR: SJ474892). Though much of the site had previously been occupied by the Cronton Colliery, which was still in operation in the 1980s, it was considered a possibility that remains of archaeological significance would survive within the site boundary. Those potential remains included rural farming or settlement in the prehistoric and Romano-British periods, or more likely field systems or earlier mining, such as bell-pits, from the post-medieval period. The proposed development consists of the construction of ponds, a car park to make the site accessible as a country park, and the construction of a storage and distribution centre (planning ref: 20/00332/SO).

All archaeological work followed the CIfA Standards and Guidance for archaeological watching brief. All excavation work undertaken by the site investigation contractors was supervised closely by a suitably experienced archaeologist. Where archaeological remains were identified during the works, the excavated area was rapidly cleaned, and the need for any further archaeological investigation was assessed. Where appropriate, any features and finds were excavated by hand, sampled and recorded, within the confines of the excavated area. Excavated soil was searched as practicable for artefacts. The areas subject to ground disturbance, and any features of archaeological interest, were located accurately on a site plan, and recorded by photography, scale drawings, and written descriptions. All information identified in the course of the site works was recorded stratigraphically. Results of the watching brief were, where appropriate, recorded on pro-forma context sheets, and were accompanied with sufficient pictorial record (plans, sections and highresolution digital photographs) to identify and illustrate individual features No archaeological finds or features were encountered during the archaeological works other than the foundations for the structural columns of the 1830 Warehouse. Several layers were identified within the vertical sections of all three trial pits, but these are likely to represent river deposits pertaining to the River Irwell, situated less than 90m to the west of the 1830 Warehouse; no evidence for pre-19th-century activity on the site was identified.

The Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford, were commissioned by Brindley and Taylor Chartered Surveyors on behalf of clients to undertake a PPS5 historic building record of 35 Barnsfold Road, Hawk Green, Marple, Stockport, (centred SJ 9567 8720), a Grade II Listed Building, prior to conversion and extension. 35 Barnsfold Road is a two storey, stone and brick cottage, L-shaped in plan, lying on the southern side of Barnsfold Road, in the Hawk Green area of Marple. The cottage is one of several buildings that form the small hamlet of Barns Fold. The long axis of the L-shape was aligned west to east whilst the short axis was aligned north to south and lay on the south-western side of the complex, forming a single-storey outshut. Internally, the ground floor contained five rooms whilst there were three rooms on the first floor. Six phases of activity were identified on the site, beginning with a possible timber-framed phase from the 16th or early 17th century. The earliest major phase to survive was a two storey stone bay on the west which appeared to be late 17th century in date. An outshut was added to the south of this bay in the 18th century and in the late 18th or early 19th centuries a two storey brick eastern bay was added which may have replaced the earlier timberframed wing. In the late 19th century the out shut was extended in the mid-20th century the property saw significant alterations to the roof structure and flooring.

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CfAA) were commissioned by Manchester Metropolitan University to undertake a geophysical survey on land proposed for development at Birley Fields, Stretford Road, Hulme, Greater Manchester (centred at SJ 8370 9665),

The excavation area was located as depicted in Figure 2. Prior to the commencement of the excavation, the Client provided Salford Archaeology with service plans for the area, and the areas of trenching were scanned with a Cable Avoidance Tool. The excavation was carried out using a mechanical excavator fitted with a 1.7m wide toothless bucket. Spoil was placed next to the excavated trench 1, the spoil from trench 2 was removed to another part of the site by the contractor. It was agreed that the contractor was to backfill the trenches to their own specification. The excavations revealed evidence of housing built between 1831 and 1836 which saw little alteration until demolition during the 1960s/1970s. The housing was of somewhat better than that seen in nearby slum areas of the Crescent and Gore Street. The houses on Peel Place were the dwellings of skilled tradesmen that could afford slightly better housing but still had people living in the cellars. The Wilton Place houses were much more affluent, containing families with better incomes and higher status employment. These families often employed one or more servants, who were housed in the cellars. From the end of the 19th Century and throughout the early 20th Century the area went into a decline with poorer families moving in and by the early 20th Century were considered ‘slums’ alongside much of the other housing areas around Chapel Street. The Wilton Place houses may also have been used for storage for the nearby hospital. The archaeological excavation would be sufficient to fulfil the planning condition and mitigate against the loss archaeological remains.

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CfAA) were commissioned by Peel Investments (North) Ltd. to undertake an archaeological evaluation on the site of Worsley New Hall, Worsley, Greater Manchester (NGR SD 73950 00581). The work comprised of four evaluation trenches located across the study area. This was carried out in order to determine the presence, extent, depth, state of preservation and significance of the archaeological resource to enable informed recommendations to be made for the future treatment of any surviving remains. The significance of the archaeological resource has been assessed using PPS5 (Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment, March 2010). A primary aim of the evaluation work was to assess the suitability of the site for a future community archaeological project. This would ideally take the form of an open area excavation. The degree of preservation and the extent of in-situ remains would be decisive factors in deciding if Worsley New Hall would be a worthwhile and rewarding project for volunteers. The archaeological evaluation revealed the substantial archaeological remains of Worsley New Hall. Portions of the internal and external footprint of the main eastern wing, northern entrance and servants quarters were identified along with external features related to the formal gardens on the main terrace. The majority of archaeological remains were found in good or excellent state of preservation. In the area identified as the northwest portion of the Hall, the preservation of archaeological remains was significantly poorer than that of the main Hall building. This was found to be largely due to the construction of the 1950s bunker located over this portion of the study area.

A programme of historic building investigation was undertaken of two linked historic properties that form part of a terrace of seven artisans’ workshops that were afforded Grade II listing on the account of their historical interest as well-preserved examples of Georgian industrial housing. This report details the investigation of the two properties which was carried out to Historic England Level 3 standard. These buildings comprised three-storeys with a basement. Each building had been constructed using salt-glazed brick, below a pitched roof. The archaeological investigation has provided a valuable opportunity to compile a record of the remains of a set of late 18th -century weavers cottages to mitigate any loss of historic fabric as part of the development. The two properties, known as Nos 39 and 41, were built within a terrace of seven houses that were connected to a public house, the White Lion pub, at the western end. Each property was a three-storey brick-built house with a slate roof. The window apertures on the second floor had originally been a long row of windows. This is typical characteristic of a weavers’ cottage that had a workshop on the top floor with living quarters on the lower levels. This type of window would had given maximum light into the second floor. Cellar loom-shops on the ground floor or basement were mainly found where cotton had been woven, as this provided high humidity. This suggests that the No 39 and 41 Liverpool Road had been used for weaving linen and not cotton. The upper floors of each property had also been altered after their life as weavers’ cottages. The second-floor apertures on the north-eastern façade had been reduced in length. This suggests this floor had been utilised after its use as a loom-shop to living quarters. Internally, each floor been heavily altered with the removal of the fireplace surrounds. However, this provided an opportunity to examine their construction detail. The historic fabric of the properties had been obscured with modern interventions. A soft-strip of these uncovered the original timber floorboards, and also exposed the inner brick face of each room. The layout of the two properties remained largely unaltered in recent times, with both being used as a solicitors office. A small, narrow extension was built in the mid-1980s to the rear of No 41. This had been used as a toilet and kitchen area, with modern fixtures and fitting.

Historic England Level 3-type historic building investigation to provide a detailed record of Cloughbank Farm prior to any alterations or removal of historic fabric. The historic building investigation revealed extensive remains of a relatively high-status timber-framed house within the extant Cloughbank farmhouse. The structure was in a relatively poor state of repair, and under threat of loss of historic fabric, much of which was previously unseen. Not only will the remodelling of the farmhouse preserve its important historic core, but it has also afforded the opportunity for a more detailed record and understanding of its development to be undertaken. Removal of late unsympathetic elements of the farmhouse will also help the visual interpretation of the building. Although the extant farm buildings are relatively late, compared with the house, they do form relatively well-preserved examples of the evolution of a lowland cattle farm within the region, and reflects the diversity of structures used to house cattle and fodder by the end of the nineteenth century. Although heavily remodelled, the retention of pigsties is a relatively rare survival of what would have been a relatively common feature within the region.

The Historic Building Investigation was conducted following the CIfA Standards and guidance for archaeological building surveys (updated December 2014), and was commensurate with a Historic England Level 3/4-type survey for the exterior of the building and internally, access permitting ( The historic building survey has provided an invaluable opportunity to record an important site in Eccles, which represented the rare survival of a suburban theatre from the turn of the twentieth century. The development of the building encapsulated the trends of popular cultural entertainment in Britain over the course of the twentieth century as it transitioned from its original purpose as a theatre into a cinema with the dawn of the ‘talkies’ and finally to a bingo hall following the Gambling Act of 1960. The historical and archaeological significance of the building’s façades is reflected in its Grade II Listed Building designation, however, through years of decline the interior has been largely lost.

The survey included a full photographic record and the recording of the building utilising a 3D laser scanner in order to produced accurate drawings. The historic building survey has found the former Railway public house was originally constructed as at least three distinct buildings including a shop at the corner of Avenue Street and Great Portwood Street, which were amalgamated over time following the establishment of a beerhouse in the 1860s, resulting in the extensive remodelling of the internal arrangement to facilitate its new function and the loss of most, but not all, original features. The historic building survey of the former Railway public house has provided an invaluable opportunity to record the evolution of an early nineteenth century terrace into a public house. It has also enabled a review of the available documentary material to be combined with the physical evidence embedded in the historic fabric to produce a detailed narrative of the building’s development, enhancing, and amending the existing record.