Buried city centre path dates to 18th century
AHISTORIC cobblestone footpath found buried under Birmingham’s historic Victoria Square has been dated to late 18th century.
Staff working on the extension of the Midlands Metro tram line uncovered the path and called in expert archeologists to examine the remains.
And hundreds of visitors have been to see the site since it was revealed by the Midlands Metro Alliiance (MMA) last week.
At first it was thought the period pavement could date as far back as the Saxon or mediaeval era.
But now it appears the cobbles are more likely to be about 250 years old dating to the mid18th century when Birmingham was a rapidly growing city.
Laurence Hayes, archaeologist for RSK, said: “This is a very interesting find in the heart of the city centre. The artefacts we have recovered from the surface of the path and beneath it include porcelain, clay pipe and building materials which date to the post-medieval period.
“The road is probably part of the city’s expansion in the mid18th century, and went out of use in the Victorian period.
“We will be carrying out further work in the coming months to examine historical maps and the artefacts we have removed from the site in order to build up the full picture.”
The team also suggest it once may have been part of an earlier extension of Pinfold Street.
The path was on show to the public until Wednesday, after which it is being excavated for further work on the tram line between Grand Central and Centenary Square and Broad Street.
Mr Hayes added: “The Midland Metro Alliance works closely with the local community and these pieces will make a great case study and educational piece for schoolchildren which highlights the hidden histories which are all around us beneath our city streets.”
Project director Steve Grimes added: “There is always potential for items of historical importance to be uncovered during construction, and the discovery of the footpath provides a fascinating look at Birmingham in days-gone-by.”
This is not the first time that a historical find has been unearthed during the works to extend the West Midlands Metro. Roller shutters, also from the Victorian period, were discovered at a shop in Pinfold Street earlier this year.
We will be carrying out further work to build up the full picture