People add their own piece of history to lime kiln dig site
RESIDENTS are creating their own history with time capsules - as an excavation unearthed lime kilns more than 200 years old.
Time capsules were planted on Tuesday, May 3 after a two week dig just off Strines Road in which volunteers and archaeologists uncovered four of the earliest lime kilns built around 1797 by the famous pioneer Samuel Oldknow.
Account manager, Teresa Dawson came up with the idea to create time capsules.
She said: “It seemed like a nice idea to add our own bit of history and add to the last 200 years of history.”
Rose Hill Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School and Marple Hall secondary school provided Teresa with letters, certificates, medals and badges to put inside the earth.
Some volunteers joined Teresa’s children Millie and Madlen as they placed the items in three separate time capsules, one for each school.
Norman Redhead, a former archaeologist and a member of Friends of Oldknow’s Lime Kilns, said: “I think the time capsules are an absolutely super idea!
“Future archaeologists may find this in 100 years and it will be an insight into our society today.”
On Saturday, April 30 members of the public gathered at the site for an open day where they were told the history of Samuel Oldknow.
Ancient artefacts archaeologists discovered such as old bottles, old nails and screws were put on display.
Archaeologist Andy Coutts said: “This discovery will add to the interest of the area and will contribute to education and hopefully will encourage people to come and find more about it. You wouldn’t know the lime kilns are there if you walk down the canal unless someone points them out.
“There is a great invested take on the whole site among people here like this belongs to us, we live here and it is a part of our heritage.”