Archaeologists dig into history of area at town hall
IT’S one of the grandest buildings in Greater Manchester – but historians are currently more interested in what lies beneath it.
The Grade-i listed Rochdale Town Hall, which was built in 1871, is being renovated ahead of a planned reopening in 2023 – when a new exhibition will open its doors.
But this month, attentions have been focused underground, as archaeologists descended on Town Hall Square to explore the famous building’s surroundings during The Big Dig.
Ashley Brogan, an archaeologist from the University of Salford, says the project is a chance to discover more clues about Rochdale’s long history.
She said: “It gives us a chance to look at one of the most important routes through Rochdale during the medieval, post-medieval and industrial period.
“At the moment we’re in the 19th or 18th century, and the finds we are getting really closely link to the people living in central Rochdale.
“We’ve got names that are linking to finds, and it’s so lovely to have the people of Rochdale actually digging finds directly associated with the community here.
“As we’re working down from the 19th century, we’ll potentially get to post-medieval stuff which could link to the wool merchants which were massively important for the development of Rochdale as a town.”
Members of the public are currently getting involved in The Big Dig, searching through the foundations of homes which belonged to wool merchants in the 18th century.
Excavation work has been focused around Packer Street, which was historically one of the most important routes through the town.
Findings so far have included chamber pots from the homes which once stood on the street, as well as items from the ‘cottage industries’ that took place inside the properties as a way to bring in extra money – such as butchers, boot making or ginger beer brewing.
“Those jobs were undertaken in their own back yards,” said Ms Brogan.
“We’re getting to those yards, so we’re actually finding a lot of those things – pieces of boots, leather shoes, heels. They might be throwaways, but they could be linked to the industries here.
“We’re getting ginger beer bottles and we know they were brewing that here, so it’s so nice to have the working areas of these people.”
One of the findings which Ms Brogan is most excited about so far is a ginger beer bottle from S Casson of Rochdale – picked up where Samuel Casson himself once lived at 13 Packer Street.
Aged 20 in 1851, Mr Casson was named as a ginger beer maker in the census, living with woollen worker dad James, mum Mary who started the ginger beer business, sister Elizabeth – a toffee maker – and younger sister Alice, who made dresses.
Ms Brogan said: “They were all a very industrial family – making things and selling things, so it’s just so great to tie this together with the people of Rochdale.
“The kids that have been on site absolutely love it. They are finding so many things, they’re really excited. Some are telling us they want to be archaeologists in the future.
“And then you’ve got some of the older generation who are sharing their own stories of Rochdale with us – which are just so lovely to hear about what they remember of this area. We’ve actually had some who remember Cassons drinks from the 1950s and 1960s when they were still going.”
While the public’s chance to explore the site comes to an end this weekend, archaeologists will remain there a while longer.
It’s hoped they will be able to dig deep enough to find items from Rochdale’s medieval past – findings which would be incredibly rare for an industrial town, Ms Brogan says.
She added: “It would be fantastic if we could get anything linked to that period, and then as we get further back we will be looking for medieval.
“We know that Packer Street was the most direct link between the bridge and the church. It was a really important medieval thoroughfare, so if there was anything here and we find it that would be a first for Rochdale.
“You rarely get any medieval finds in these built up industrial towns, so to get something medieval here would be really exciting, and we do have the increased chance of it because we don’t appear to have basements on site.”
The excavation is part of the wider Rochdale Town Hall project, which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The town hall will have its stained glass restored, while more rooms will be opened up to the public and a skills studio will open its doors.
Residents will also be able to explore the town’s heritage in a new exhibition, while a new public square will be opened up next to the town hall.
Coun Philip Massey, assistant portfolio holder for communications and economy on Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It’s real history that you get to see – it’s different to seeing it on a school board. The key thing is getting the community involved, getting residents connected with the history of the town.
“The overarching aim of the whole project is to make the town hall a much more communityfocused building. You’ll be able to come in, look around, there’ll be tours every day and rooms with the history laid out.”
A free open day for The Big Dig will take place between 11am and 2pm on Saturday, July 31, showcasing all the findings from this month’s event. For more information see the council’s website.