Oxford Archaeology North – förlag

Piccadilly Place (centred on NGR SJ 8461 9590) lies immediately to the north-west of Piccadilly Railway Station, close to the heart of the modern city. In many ways, it is typical of other areas found within the centre of Manchester. Prior to the Industrial Revolution it lay on the outskirts of the town, only to be subsumed during rapid urban expansion in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. However, in other ways the history of Piccadilly Place is unique, particularly as the site was to play a significant part in the emergence of the industrial city. This booklet charts that development, and also summarises the history of the city and the textile industry, which was to have a fundamental infl uence on the development of both Piccadilly Place, and other parts of Manchester.

During the nineteenth century, the Rock Triangle in Bury had been a thriving industrial area with numerous textile mills, engineering works and iron foundaries, small workshops, and rows of terraced housing. These buildings had all been demolished by the end of the twentieth century, but their buried remains were excavated by Oxford Archaeology North in 2006-7, in advance of the Rock Retail and Leisure development, built between 2008 and 2010. This booklet charts the history of Bury and The Rock Triangle, and summarises the recent archaeological excavations, which have provided a record of part of Bury's important and varie industrial past.

Bewsey Old Hall has a long and archaeologically well-documented existence. It is a Scheduled Monument , but was effectively derelict in the late 1970s, when plans for sympathetic restoration and redevelopment of this important moated site gave the opportunity for the standing buildings (some dating back to the seventeenth century) to be recorded. The extensive archaeological excavations examined a large part of the moated platform, and were intended to place the house within its physical and chronological context. In addition, this was supplemented by detailed documentary research, which offered an unusual chance to place the site within its regional socio-political context. Excavations took place in 1977-81 and again in 1983-5. Analysis of the large body of data recovered, begun in 1985 but laid aside in 1987, was resumed in 1993 and finally completed in 1996, at which point a draft report was submitted to English Heritage. A revised version of that draft forms the basis of this publication.Bewsey’s origins lay in the thirteenth century, perhaps originating as a hunting lodge in the royal forest of Burtonwood. It became the principal seat of the Butlers, Barons of Warrington, after their original hall, Mote Hill in Warrington, was destroyed by fire in the late thirteenth century. The earliest coherent archaeological evidence from the site suggests that a large timber-built aisled hall and a range of smaller service buildings were erected on the site at about that time, presumably to house the baron and his household. The Butlers were to stay at Bewsey until the sixteenth century, rebuilding their hall on stone foundations in the fourteenth century, after a substantial fire, and modifying it and maintaining it as circumstances required. By the mid-sixteenth century, some of the principal buildings had fallen into disrepair, but a new northern range was built shortly before 1586, when Bewsey changed hands, passing briefly to the Earl of Leicester. When Robert Dudley died in 1588, the house, although probably intended for his illegitimate son, Robert, passed first to his brother Ambrose, earl of Warwick, who died shortly afterwards. For a decade, the ownership of the property was disputed, but in 1597, Robert Dudley sold the estate to the Ireland family, and it remained with them and their successors, the Athertons, until the mid-twentieth century.Bewsey Old Hall has a long and archaeologically well-documented existence. It is a Scheduled Monument , but was effectively derelict in the late 1970s, when plans for sympathetic restoration and redevelopment of this important moated site gave the opportunity for the standing buildings (some dating back to the seventeenth century) to be recorded. The extensive archaeological excavations examined a large part of the moated platform, and were intended to place the house within its physical and chronological context. In addition, this was supplemented by detailed documentary research, which offered an unusual chance to place the site within its regional socio-political context. Excavations took place in 1977-81 and again in 1983-5. Analysis of the large body of data recovered, begun in 1985 but laid aside in 1987, was resumed in 1993 and finally completed in 1996, at which point a draft report was submitted to English Heritage. A revised version of that draft forms the basis of this publication. Bewsey’s origins lay in the thirteenth century, perhaps originating as a hunting lodge in the royal forest of Burtonwood. It became the principal seat of the Butlers, Barons of Warrington, after their original hall, Mote Hill in Warrington, was destroyed by fire in the late thirteenth century. The earliest coherent archaeological evidence from the site suggests that a large timber-built aisled hall and a range of smaller service buildings were erected on the site at about that time, presumably to house the baron and his household. The Butlers were to stay at Bewsey until the sixteenth century, rebuilding their hall on stone foundations in the fourteenth century, after a substantial fire, and modifying it and maintaining it as circumstances required. By the mid-sixteenth century, some of the principal buildings had fallen into disrepair, but a new northern range was built shortly before 1586, when Bewsey changed hands, passing briefly to the Earl of Leicester. When Robert Dudley died in 1588, the house, although probably intended for his illegitimate son, Robert, passed first to his brother Ambrose, earl of Warwick, who died shortly afterwards. For a decade, the ownership of the property was disputed, but in 1597, Robert Dudley sold the estate to the Ireland family, and it remained with them and their successors, the Athertons, until the mid-twentieth century. The origins of the fine brick hall still standing on the site probably lay in the early seventeenth century, representing the fashionable aspirations of the new owners, seeking to add comfortable modern accommodation to the extant medieval hall, thereby initiating the piecemeal demolition of the medieval southern range. The appearance of the new house was later much enhanced, by the excavation of a formal terraced garden, decorated by large and impressive terracotta urns and other garden furniture. It did not, however, last long, and the garden had been backfilled and levelled by 1724. The Atherton family often had cause to lease Bewsey to tenants, and on occasion it was left empty for long periods. Indeed, it was not until c 1765 that Elizabeth Atherton and her husband Robert Gwillym moved back to Bewsey, which had almost certainly been empty since 1754. As a fire is thought to have destroyed part of the main range in the 1740s or early 1750s, it is hardly surprising that they initiated a substantial programme of rebuilding, including the demolition of the medieval hall, and the addition of rooms in the Georgian style. A brick-built farmhouse may have been added to the western side of the seventeenth-century hall during this period, but it could equally have been built much later, possibly around 1819. By 1833, the Georgian buildings had been demolished, leaving the hall more or less in the form in which it survives today. In 1863, a ‘New’ Hall was built some 400 m away, and Bewsey Old Hall was left in the hands of a succession of tenants, until, in a state of considerable disrepair, it was acquired by Warrington Development Corporation in 1974. The large amount of medieval and earlier post-medieval material from the site, particularly the pottery, is of particular significance to local and regional studies. It remains one of the largest collections in the North West outside of urban centres such as Chester and Carlisle.

Wigan is well known as one of the key industrial towns of nineteenth-century Lancashire. However, there is increasing evidence to demonstrate that Wigan also has a rich Roman heritage. Whilst some remains and artefacts were discovered during construction works in the nineteenth century, the most remarkable evidence for Roman activity in the town arose from archaeological excavations carried out since the 1980s in the Millgate area. In particular, the remains of a second-century bath-house were discovered during excavations by Oxford Archaeology North in 2004-5, whilst further excavations in 2008 provided new evidence for Roman activity in the first centry AD. The exciting findings from these excavations are summarised in this booklet, which presents th latest information on Roman Wigan.

The printing of cloth played a key role in the early development of Lancashire's cotton industry during the late eighteenth century, and its rapid growth thereafter. The River Irwell and its tributaries around Bury emerged as an important centre for printing, and became associated with some of the textile industry's most famous pioneers. In contrast to other branches of the industry, however, very few historic print works survive as buildings, although several have been the focus of recent archaeological investigations in Greater Manchester. This booklet presents the findings of several excavations and surveys of the remains of former print works, providing an insight into the development of this important industry.

The Dunham Massey Estate forms a significant National Trust property, straddling the borders of Cheshire East and Greater Manchester. From the medieval period onwards, the estate passed through a succession of influential families, including the de Mascys, the Booths, and latterly the Greys, who shaped the history of Dunham and the wider region. At the centre of the estate lies the large stately home of Dunham Hall. This was built in the early eighteenth century by Sir George Booth, the second Earl of Warrington, and was modified and restored in the early twentieth century by William Grey, the ninth Earl of Stamford. The hall is surrounded by an extensive medieval deer park, which was replanted and redesigned in the eighteenth century to form a spectacular formal landscape. This booklet presents the findings of several archaeological excavations and surveys completed within the deer park and across the wider area, which provide an insight into the rich and complex history of the Dunham Massey Estate.

This volume presents the findings of the largest campaign of archaeological investigation along Liverpool's historic waterfront, by Oxford Archaeology North and the National Museums Liverpool Field Archaeology Unit. This work centred on the areas of Mann Island, Pier Head, and the Central Docks, all places that either fall within, or are directly adjacent to, the Liverpool-Maritime Mercantile City World Heritage Site, and it formed a prelude to the construction of a commercial development and the Museum of Liverpool, and also the extension of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The investigations uncovered numerous remains relating to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century dock building and land reclamation, as well as concomitant evidence for the use and occupation of the waterfront, and the wider town, during these periods. The archaeological evidence has been complemented by detailed historical research, which together provide significant insights into the dynamic and evolving system of dock and quayside development, occurring between the early eighteenth and early twentieth centuries. This development was integral to Liverpool's wider history, and the archaeological remains reflect the port's nascent post-medieval growth, commercial zenith during the nineteenth century, and eventual twentieth-century decline, prior to the extensive schemes of urban regeneration which now characterise the present-day waterfront. Moreover, this extensive campaign of investigation indicates how archaeology along the waterfront represents an important technique for uncovering the nuances of an area that was integral to the rise and success of Liverpool, and which also continues to exert a significant sway on Liverpool's cultural and economic identity.

The Bay Gateway, a highway developed by Lancashire County Council and substantially funded by the Department for Transport, was constructed by Costain between 2014 and 2016 to provide a direct connection between the Port of Heysham, on the Lancashire coast, and Junction 34 of the M6 motorway, c 11 km to the north-east. Whilst groundworks at either end of the scheme involved substantial alterations to existing infrastructure within already heavily developed urban and suburban settings, the majority of the newly constructed elements of the route traversed a largely pastoral landscape, parallel with the River Lune. The undulating countryside is predominantly agricultural in nature, with a patchwork of fields and isolated farmsteads. As well as providing the backdrop for the Bay Gateway, the rolling landscape appears to have been attractive to human settlers within this part of the Lune Valley for some 9000 years, from the Late Mesolithic period, through to the Middle Ages and beyond.Excavations by Oxford Archaeology along the route in 2014 marked the culmination of almost ten years of archaeological investigation, with each study contributing to an understanding of an area that had previously seen little comprehensive research. Preliminary works had comprised desk-based assessment and walkover surveys, devised to define the known archaeological resource of the route, while geophysical survey was undertaken to identify the presence of possible, hitherto unidentified, archaeological remains. The first intrusive survey comprised the evaluation excavation of a series of trial trenches by Rubicon Heritage in early 2013. This tested the results of previous studies and established the presence and potential significance of buried remains. When combined with development proposals, the evaluation permitted the compilation of a mitigation strategy for detailed archaeological investigation in advance of construction works. In its final form, the mitigation was focused on seven discrete areas, wherein remains relating to prehistoric, medieval, and post-medieval activity were identified.

In August and September 2013, and again in April and May 2014, Oxford Archaeology, on behalf of the former Hadrian's Wall Trust (HWT), undertook a research and community-training excavation within the extramural settlement associated with the Roman fort at Maryport, Cumbria. The project sought to engage, and train, a wide cross-section of the community in a broad range of fieldwork and post-excavation techniques, and to address a series of academic research questions pertaining to the Maryport site, and to Roman extramural settlements in general. Based on the evidence of an extensive programme of geophysical survey undertaken on the site in 2000-4, a block of four putative Roman building plots was selected for investigation, north-west of the main axial road leading north-east from the fort (which appears to have formed the principal focus of settlement on this side of the fort). Following an initial phase of prospection at the beginning of the 2013 season, which included a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey and the excavation of four test-pits, what was thought to be a single building plot was selected for more detailed investigation. Open-area excavation within this putative plot quickly established that in fact it comprised a complete building plot, considerably narrower than was suggested by the geophysical survey data, and substantive parts of two others, to the north-east and south-west, with a probable external area, including what may have been a minor road, between the central and south-western plots. The primary aim of the project was to enhance understanding of this part of the settlement through the excavation of as much as possible of a single building plot (including the 'backplot' area to the rear of the street frontage); consequently, the fully exposed central plot was chosen for more extensive excavation. The south-western and north-eastern plots were not excavated, other than to establish the presence of stone/stone-footed buildings within them. The 2014 season was focused almost exclusively on the central plot, with the area investigated within the backplot being substantially enlarged. However, a small area immediately to the south was also excavated, to investigate stratigraphic links between the structures in the central plot and what appeared to be an external area adjacent to them. The earliest evidence for a human presence at the site comprised a few prehistoric stone artefacts, intensive occupation clearly beginning in the Roman period. The main road leading north-east from the fort was identified, with the three building plots extending westwards from it. Following its initial construction, the road was resurfaced only once, in the third century AD. The stratigraphically earliest feature recorded was a small, north-east/south-west-aligned ditch, approximately 10 m north-west of, and aligned broadly parallel to, the road, possibly part of a field system of late pre-Roman or (perhaps more likely) early Roman date. The ceramic evidence from the site provides a strong indication that the investigated area as a whole saw little activity before the late Hadrianic period (c AD 130+), when a rectilinear timber building, probably a strip building, was constructed on the frontage of the targeted building plot. Since this structure clearly referenced the position and alignment of the axial road, this proves that this road was in existence by the late Hadrianic period and was not, like the Military Way associated with Hadrian's Wall, a later feature. The limited dating evidence associated with the building suggests that it may have remained in use to around the middle of the second century, probably sometime within the period 140-60, but it appears to have been immediately replaced with another, very similar, timber structure. This indicates that no break in occupation occurred at the time Hadrian's Wall was abandoned in favour of the Antonine Wall across the Forth-Clyde isthmus.

Archaeological discoveries at Cutacre were plentiful and include early prehistoric artefacts, a Middle Bronze Age settlement, medieval iron smelting, an early seventeenth-century great hall, as well as a farmstead of the same period. One of the remarkable aspects of the archaeological investigations has been the successful application of a variety of modern scientific techniques to maximise our understanding of the excavated evidence.

Preston, the administrative centre of modern Lancashire, was one of the most important medieval boroughs in the north-west of England. Increasing prosperity during the nineteenth century, however, meant that most of its early heritage was lost to redevelopment and, to date, it has yielded little archaeological evidence of its medieval past. However, in 1991 and 2007, development-led excavations just to the north-west of the historic town centre revealed significant medieval remains. Although badly damaged by later development, these included the foundations of a substantial stone building with evidence for several internal features. Evidence from associated finds, including painted window glass and line-impressed floor tiles, suggested that it was ecclesiastical in origin. The western part of the building was the best preserved, and excavation showed it to have accommodated at least four rows of east/west-aligned burials; several more were identified immediately outside the building, and two groups of cut features further to the east and west are probably the remnants of other graves, hinting at an extensive cemetery to the north of the building.Analysis, funded by English Heritage (now Historic England), has allowed these truncated and fragmentary remains to be identified as the last remnant of Preston’s Franciscan friary, which was founded on the outskirts of Preston in c 1260, and remained in use until it was closed in 1539, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. If the building was part of the friary church, then it is likely that the burials are those of wealthy patrons, who had been interred in a side chapel or transept, appended to its north side. This work has also allowed other, less coherent, structural evidence, identified in 1991, to be interpreted as elements of the church, parts of the cloister or claustral ranges, or perhaps service buildings, lying to the south, thus permitting the full size of the friary precinct to be better understood.The well-preserved nature of many of the burials provided an unusual opportunity for scientific analysis, including radiocarbon dating of the human remains, dendrochronological dating of the coffins, and osteological analysis of the skeletons. Drawn together, these individual strands provided a rich picture of the lives and appearance of the friars and their patron families, throughout the life of the Friary.Although no physical remains could be associated with the south range, cartographic and documentary evidence strongly suggest that, after the dissolution of the Friary, parts of it remained in use, first as a private house belonging to the Breres family, later (from c 1680 to 1789) used as a ‘house of correction’. Much altered, it survived into the mid-nineteenth century, serving finally as part of the Canal Foundry, before being demolished, when its site was effectively lost.

Large-scale redevelopment at Kingsway Business Park, near Rochdale, and Cutacre Country Park, near Bolton, has provided an important opportunity to investigate the prehistoric and later rural landscapes in the south-eastern corner of the historic county of Lancashire, now part of Greater Manchester. A combination of archaeological techniques has been employed to explore the archaeology of these areas, principally comprising standing-building survey and open-area excavation, directed towards the investigation of 17 sites. Topographical survey and palaeoenvironmental coring were also used to examine the character of the early landscape. Evidence for prehistoric and medieval activity was discovered within the two areas, although the majority of the remains investigated dated to the post-medieval and industrial periods. These latter remains relate to a range of different rural house types and farm buildings, built by the lesser gentry, and the yeoman and tenant farmers of the region. This volume is the result of a multi-disciplinary approach to the archaeology, with the work of a range of authors from Oxford Archaeology and the University of Salford, and also several external specialists. The results greatly enhance an understanding of the archaeology of Greater Manchester, and, more generally, provide important information on rural settlement in north-west England.