BENGAL STREET BLOCK, BEEHIVE MILLS, ANCOATS, Manchester
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BENGAL STREET BLOCK, BEEHIVE MILLS, ANCOATS, Manchester Archaeological Excavation Oxford Archaeology North January 2007 Nikal Investments Issue No: 2006-07/620 OA North Job No: L9764 NGR: SJ 8504 9875 Document Title: BENGAL STREET BLOCK, BEEHIVE MILLS, ANCOATS, MANCHESTER Document Type: Archaeological Excavation Client Name: Nikal Investments Issue Number: 2006-07/620 OA Job Number: L9764 Site Code: National Grid Reference: SJ 8504 9875 Prepared by: Sean McPhillips Chris Wild Position: Project Officer Project oficer Date: November 2006 December 2006 Checked by: Ian Miller Signed……………………. Position: Project Manager Date: December 2006 Approved by: Alan Lupton Signed……………………. Position: Operations Manager Date: January 2007 Oxford Archaeology North © Oxford Archaeological Unit Ltd (2007) Storey Institute Janus House Meeting House Lane Osney Mead Lancaster Oxford LA1 1TF OX2 0EA t: (0044) 01524 848666 t: (0044) 01865 263800 f: (0044) 01524 848606 f: (0044) 01865 793496 w: www.oxfordarch.co.uk e: [email protected] Oxford Archaeological Unit Limited is a Registered Charity No: 285627 Disclaimer: This document has been prepared for the titled project or named part thereof and should not be relied upon or used for any other project without an independent check being carried out as to its suitability and prior written authority of Oxford Archaeology being obtained. Oxford Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability for the consequences of this document being used for a purpose other than the purposes for which it was commissioned. Any person/party using or relying on the document for such other purposes agrees, and will by such use or reliance be taken to confirm their agreement to indemnify Oxford Archaeology for all loss or damage resulting therefrom. Oxford Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability for this document to any party other than the person/party by whom it was commissioned. Bengal Street Block, Beehive Mills, Ancoats, Manchester: Archaeological Excavation 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ 4 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Circumstances of Project............................................................................... 5 2. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Project Design............................................................................................... 6 2.2 Aims and Objectives ..................................................................................... 6 2.3 Excavation Trenching ................................................................................... 7 2.4 Finds............................................................................................................. 7 2.5 Archive......................................................................................................... 7 3. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 8 3.2 Location........................................................................................................ 8 3.3 Topography and Geology.............................................................................. 8 3.4 Historical Background: Development of Ancoats.......................................... 9 3.5 Historical Background: The Study Area ...................................................... 11 4. FIELDWORK RESULTS........................................................................................ 18 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 18 4.2 Evaluation Trenches.................................................................................... 18 4.3 Excavation Trenches: Area 1....................................................................... 21 4.4 Excavation Trenches: Area 2....................................................................... 29 4.5 Excavation Trenches: Area 3....................................................................... 32 4.6 Excavation Trenches: Area 4....................................................................... 33 4.7 The Finds.................................................................................................... 33 4.8 The Palaeoenvironmental Evidence............................................................. 36 5. DISCUSSION........................................................................................................ 38 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 38 5.2 Phase 1 (18th Century)................................................................................. 38 5.3 Phase 2 (Late 18th Century) ......................................................................... 38 5.4 Phase 3 (Mid-19th Century) ......................................................................... 39 5.5 Phase 4 (Late 19th Century) ......................................................................... 39 5.6 Phase 5 (Early 20th Century)........................................................................ 40 For the use of Nikal Investments © OA North: January 2007 Bengal Street Block, Beehive Mills, Ancoats, Manchester: Archaeological Excavation 2 5.7 Phase 6 (Mid-20th Century) ......................................................................... 40 5.8 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 40 6. RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................................... 41 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 41 6.2 Recommendations....................................................................................... 41 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 42 7.1 Cartographic Sources .................................................................................. 42 7.2 Primary Sources.......................................................................................... 42 7.3 Secondary Sources...................................................................................... 43 APPENDIX 1: PROJECT DESIGN.............................................................................. 45 APPENDIX 2: SUMMARY FINDS CATALOGUE ......................................................... 54 ILLUSTRATIONS ..................................................................................................... 58 Figures ................................................................................................................... 58 Plates ................................................................................................................... 58 For the use of Nikal Investments © OA North: January 2007 Bengal Street Block, Beehive Mills, Ancoats, Manchester: Archaeological Excavation 3 SUMMARY Nikal Investments has proposed a scheme of redevelopment for a mixed residential and commercial end-use at 45 – 47 Bengal Street (centred on NGR SJ 8504 9875), within the Ancoats area of Manchester. Until recently, No 45 Bengal Street was occupied by a light industrial unit and associated yard, whilst a disused 19th-century textile mill occupied No 47 Bengal Street. During July 2005, this mill building was destroyed by a catastrophic fire, which resulted in the collapse of the bulk of the structure. Elements of the building that did survive, however, included some structures of archaeological significance. Whilst the perilous structural nature of these remains necessitated their demolition as a matter of urgency, a rapid programme of archaeological survey was recommended in advance of their ultimate loss to ensure a record of the structural remains was compiled. In accordance with this recommendation, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was commissioned to undertake the survey in August 2005, which was coupled with a desk-based assessment, which identified a potential for buried remains of archaeological significance to survive on the site. Following on from the building survey and the desk-based assessment, Nikal Investments commissioned OA North to undertake an evaluation of the site to assess the presence or absence of buried archaeological remains, which was required to support a planning application for the redevelopment of the site. The evaluation was undertaken in October 2006, and revealed that extensive archaeological remains survived in-situ across the site. Following consultation with the Assistant County Archaeologist for Greater Manchester, it was recommended that a programme further excavation was implemented to provide a detailed mitigation record of the remains in advance of their ultimate destruction. Excavation was targeted on the remains of cellar dwellings adjacent to the Bengal Street and Jersey Street frontages, workers’ housing on Shilling Court and Holditch’s Court, the steam-power plant associated with the Bengal Street block, and a boundary ditch