Recent Archaeological Discoveries in South East Lancashire
Even on the moors, at 440 metres above sea level, many archaeological sites can be seen, several previously unrecorded.
I will list my recent discoveries in this blog. Most sites have been subsequently confirmed by other archaeologists and a geologist. Certainly much work needs to be done and detailed survey is urgently needed.
What’s new – June 2010
Detailed photographic survey of a site on Rooley Moor completed and magnetometer survey of another site (TBA) undertaken. Watch this blog for more details!
Video added! July
Sites missed
Great grass covered burial mound, near Rooley Moor, also missed amazingly.
The site below was missed in an earlier archaeological survey (oops!) and is man made and not a quarry or a mine, according to a British Geological Survey Geologist who kindly visited the site. Why not a quarry? not local stone! If the stones were quarried on the spot they would be “Haslingden Flags”. The number and orientation of the stones cannot be explained by glaciation. The difference in vegetation, visible in the photograph, may be why this area was chosen by whoever built this damaged, enigmatic site.
Archaeological site on Rooley Moor
Clear signs of working, note the two notches at the base of the stone.
worked stone (note "notches")
This stone is clearly not from the immediate vicinity and so cannot be the result of quarrying at this location.
Here is another to the SW.
Stone SW of the main site
Bagden Hillocks Cairn
Still visible after thousands of years, the Bronze Age cairn (burial mound) at Bagden Hillocks. The area of the cairn is marked by the greener vegetation, the pile of stones in the centre is more recent.
Thanks to Bury Archaeology Group and Whitworth Historical Society regarding this cairn.
Another damaged mound nearby
Close to Bagden Hillocks cairn another damaged mound can be seen.
Watch this Rooley Moor archaeology video!
Under Construction!
(C) 2008-10 Stuart Mendelsohn
Merry Christmas!
Season’s greetings and all the best for the New Year.
There is no substitute for walking areas, even soggy moor land, if you want to find something.
Here are some of the sites I have found in areas that were supposed to have been surveyed by archaeologists. They also said there was “a hiatus in Medieval times”, did they read there own references? I have reproduced some early names from Fishwick’s History of the Parish of Rochdale, many are on Rooley Moor!
Enclosure
- Enclosure on Rooley Moor
The yellow arrows mark the line of the earlier enclosure, which has been “overlayed” with the larger and later fields marked by the stone wall running diagonally to the left of the arrows and one wall running horizontally in the picture above.
Pits
This area of small “quarry pits” covers several acres and is easily visible on aerial photographs. Mysteriously they are invisible on maps and on an archaeological survey that was supposed to have walked the are. If they had walked the area they would have stumbled into the pits! This is the clearest indication that the survey failed to find even the most obvious and large archaeological features. They have not just appeared, they can be seen on 1940s black and white photographs and all subsequent aerial photographs.
Would you miss these?
Can't miss these!
Stone Heads
Stone head, Heaton Hall Farm
This head was found over 100 years ago at Heaton Hall Farm, found by the grandmother of the present owner, David Heywood. This head has a moustache and carved “hair”.
Typical of Northern England
Stone heads are common in Lancashire and Yorkshire, they vary in quality and are even carved into drains or even gateposts as can be seen in the entrance to Rochdale museum.
Dating of these heads is problematic, as is their interpretation. “Celtic” survival, superstition or just someone’s hobby, take your pick.
Where to see them
Rochdale and Whitworth museum have a variety of stone heads, you can even buy replicas in Rochdale.
Here is one from Chethams Library in Manchester.
Head on display at Chethams
Where to see them
Many local museums have some stone heads, some on display some in store. Here are some with heads on display.
Heads on gate posts at Touchstones
Buildings
Many stone heads are carved into buildings and there is even one carved in the tower of Prestwich Parish Church.
Though not of stone, there is a head carved into a beam in the Old Grammar School in Middleton.
Under Construction!
Environmental History and Archaeology
Peat deposits in SE Lancashire allow for a correlation of man’s impact on the landscape with the vegetational history of the region.
A discovery of trees under the peat North of Rochdale gives a rare insight into the landscape and vegetation thousands of years ago.
The current appearance of the moorland is due to more recent farming practice. Archaeology shows clear signs of cultivation in what is now moorland.
Boundaries in the Landscape – Banks, Ditches and Walls
The need to mark boundaries between landholdings has left an extensive variety of features in the SE Lancashire landscape: from moorland enclosures, boundary ditches to walls and banks.
The longest boundary and one of the earliest in SE Lancashire is the Nico ditch, also called Mickle Ditch. Read more about it here.
When I met an inspector from the former Ancient Monuments, based in London, he was surprised that parts of survived, a section was scheduled in the 1990s. You can see the ditch running the a golf course in Audenshaw.
Tandle Hill
Tandle Hill was in Thornham township, Middleton parish.
Tandle Hill Park
Bank in Tandle Hill Park
Tandle Hill Park was a deer park and this bank may be associated with the deer park.
Alkrington Park
Alkrington was orinally in Prestwich Parish, though close to Middleton. This park also has banks associated with a deer park.
Deer Park, bank
Sometimes streams and rivers were used as boundaries and ditches and banks were used to extend or subdivide natural boundaries.
The name Mersey, means boundary river according to Ekwall. While the Nico Ditch, which runs through Audenshaw near Manchester is a man-made boundary thought to date from the early medieval period.
Types of Boundary
Township Boundaries
Banks and ditches were used to define the border between parish townships, like the one shown below between the townships of Great and Little Heaton, in Prestwich parish west of Bowlee.
Township Boundary - great and Little Heaton
Walls
Here is an old grass covered wall between Naden Head and Naden Dean, it even has a tree growing on it.
Old wall between Naden Head and Naden Dean
Crosses
There were several preaching crosses in towns and by trackways, here is an amazing example.
The Ultimate “Portable” Antiquity
Doffcocker Cross
Until I reported its existence in 2001 this cross, at Doffcocker near Bolton, was not on the Sites and Monuments Record. The cross is currently in the grounds of the Catholic Church in Doffcocker, having been moved from its previous location, where it was used as a bridge over a stream. So this really is one of the largest antiquities to have been moved around in the area and it shows how incomplete the records have been.
Under Construction…
(C) 2010, 2011 S. Mendelsohn
Church Topography in Salford Hundred
Middleton Parish Church - Saint Leonard's
Radcliffe parish church lies at the junction of two streams in the Irwell valley. By contrast Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Middleton, Prestwich and Rochdale all overlook valleys below.
Bolton, Manchester and Middleton all occupy commanding positions, which would also have been good defensive positions.
Radcliffe
In the Domesday book, Radcliffe is recorded as a royal manor (as was Salford).
The location of the churches is worthy of further study. Close to the river the church is bounded by two streams, it is not a hill-top site like Middleton or Prestwich.
Radcliffe Church
Close to the church is Radcliffe Tower, all that remains of the medieval manor of Radcliffe. The Tower was excavated and surveyed by the Bury Archaeological Group. See this link
Radcliffe Tower
Under Construction.
Archaeological Site Location and Survey
Introduction
With many major and minor sites unrecorded SE Lancashire is the most exciting area in the UK if you want to discover archaeological sites. Don’t believe it? well I even had to get a 2 metre high medieval cross put on the Sites and Monuments register a few years ago, amazing but true. It is at Doffcocker near Bolton and is in the grounds of the church. The local paper was very helpful in tracking background information to the cross, which had been moved from a previous location, a bridge over a stream!
Remember SAW
When looking for an archaeological site check SAW!
Soil – was the site on good soil or were there mineral deposits like coal or marl?
Aspect – Was the site facing the south and was it sheltered or on a hilltop?
W – Water was vital for farming and survival and also a source of power for water and fulling mills. Water (streams, rivers and lakes) could be a place to catch fish! In some places in Lancashire water was used as a defence in the form of a moat, even Prestwich Rectory had a moat and this can clearly be seen in the first series OS map in the mid 19th C.
Clues in the Landscape
Banks and ditches and old boundary walls are good indicators of rural archaeological sites. You may even see some stones where a building has decayed and probably had stone robbed. Wooden structures are unlikely to have left clues above ground but sometimes a moat survives, or was evident, at Prestwich Rectory (Old site not the one near the church) for example.
Place-names
Place-names sometimes give clues for archaeologists, indicating an archaeological site a good example is the place-name “castle” as in Castleton in Rochdale. Yes, Rochdale had a Norman castle, but nothing is visible today.
Archaeological Finds
The chance discovery of finds may sometimes indicate an archaeological site. However valuable finds were often hidden away from the main site, burial sites being the exception to this. Usually it is the mundane finds which indicate an archaeological site. These can be found on the surface of a ploughed field or a stream.
Aerial Photographs
The Web has made access to aerial photographs easy, given a low angle of sunlight it is possible to see banks, ditches, roads and old cultivation marks which may indicate a nearby site.
Older photographs can show sites before they were ploughed or built on.
Historical Records
Medieval deeds, charters, court records and wills give many valuable clues to finding archaeological sites. Many deeds and charters are still to be translated from the Medieval Latin. Salford Hundred has a large number of untranslated medieval documents, many refer to boundaries and sites that remain undiscovered.
Fieldwork
Getting out in the landscape and surveying sites is the essential work when discovering sites and it is the vital drawing together and evaluation of all evidence that might indicate an archaeological site.
Low Sunlight Highlights Ditches
But..
Always start with the most mundane theory for your site and work your way logically through other interpretations of what you have found. Many antiquarians from the region were inclined to see many sites as ‘Roman’ rather than post Roman.
Geology
The geology of the region is complex and many natural features have been seen as archaeological sites, could your ‘site’ be glacial in origin? Sound geological knowledge is a vital part of any archaeological research and geological research must be undertaken for each site.
Environment
The local ecology is also vital in assessing archaeological sites, the climate has changed over time. If evidence of early vegetation survives there may be clues to human activity, such as forest clearance, or evidence of agriculture.
Folklore
Folklore is not reliable, but sometimes it may indicate a site, or at least give an interesting background to the the site and landscape you are researching. The name ‘castle’ is one of the more common indicators of an archaeological site.
Ethics
Make sure you act responsibly when accessing a site, respect landowners and the environment. Work with local communities to further the knowledge of and protect your local heritage.
Surveying What You Find
Here are some articles about surveying sites:
Summary
Archaeological survey requires many skills and a holistic approach, a team of experts is needed to really assess the potential of an archaeological site. Included in this team is the local expert, who knows the landscape and local history of the site in question. Publishing and professionally reviewing information is crucial in getting discoveries accepted and advancing archaeological knowledge.
Further Reading
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
(C) 2010 SMM
Middleton Archaeology
Introduction
This post will survey some of the aspects of Middleton’s archaeology, but with little systematic survey in recent times a comprehensive survey is not yet possible. A good starting point is the geological survey maps of the area. The lighter more fertile areas of soil near water were no doubt the areas most attractive for prehistoric and medieval ploughs.
The Historic Parish of Middleton
The original boundaries of the Parish of Middleton included detached portions as far away as Bolton! The parish had several detached fragments, one of the most striking features of the Middleton is the number of detached townships (sub-districts of the parish) and the distance they are from Middleton parish church. In addition areas close to Middleton Parish Church, such as Alkrington and Little Heaton and Tongue, were actually in Prestwich Parish!
Prehistoric
There are a few chance prehistoric finds from the area but now settlements have been identified.
Medieval
While there are several histories of Middleton, no detailed archaeological survey has been undertaken. Excavations have taken place at Langley Hall and at Pilsworth, which was a detached township of Middleton.
Medieval records indicate the main settlements and many probably extend back to prehistoric times, due to the soil and aspect being important for prehistoric farming too.
The Manor House
The manor of Middleton, to the south of the church was a substantial building, but it was demolished well over a hundred years ago, only drawings survive.
The Rectory
The Rectory survives although much modified, there are medieval tiles surviving in the interior (though probably moved). The rectory was probably moated (as was Prestwich rectory, see 1847 OS first series) a ditch survives to the west of the rectory. If a moat sounds strange for a rectory, consider it as a a source of fish, for drainage and as a status symbol, of course a ditch with water would deter intruders too.
Pilsworth
Excavations by Norman Tyson and the Bury Archaeological Group, discovered evidence of iron working and medieval pottery from outside the region. More details can be found in: Excavations at Meadowcroft Fold, Pilsworth 1983, N. Tyson.
Hopwood
There medieval hall still survives (just) in Hopwood, the early water mill is a sad ruin, though the millpond survives.
Water Mill
View of water wheel recess
Wheel Shaft
Looking Towards Mill Pond
Mill Pond
Pond - Water Wheel was to the left
The water mill is from around 1600 (it has often been called a “Tudor” water mill) and survived until the last century, see information and photographs at Middleton library, local history section.
British History Online mentions that a mill was one of the possessions of Edmund Hopwood, who died in 1612.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Wardle Archaeology
There is plenty to be discovered in Wardle, like most of Rochdale.
The remains of boundary ditches and banks can still be seen (see below) and prehistoric sites remain unrecorded on the moors and hilltops around Wardle.
Under Construction…!
(C) SMM 2010
