Burns, ML
2016,
Archaeological evaluation report : Exchange Court, Greengate, Salford
, Technical Report,
University of Salford.
Access Information: Link above relates to the data gathered during the production of the report.
Abstract
In April 2016, Salford Archaeology, within the Centre for Applied Archaeology at the
University of Salford, was commissioned by Renaker Build Ltd to carry out an archaeological
evaluation of a plot of land currently used as a car park, situated between Greengate and
Trinity Way in Salford city centre (centred on NGR 383553 399050). The work was carried
out to inform the planning process for the proposed development of Exchange Court, and were
intended to determine the presence, extent, depth, state of preservation and significance of the
archaeological resource to enable informed recommendations to be made for the future
treatment of any surviving remains, in line with the guidance provided by the National
Planning Policy Framework.
The evaluation comprised the excavation of eight trial trenches, and revealed archaeological
remains dating to the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The remains appeared to
relate to the former industrial use of the site variously as textile-finishing works, a hat
manufactory and a later rubber works, although there was no surviving physical evidence for
any medieval activity or the buildings shown on eighteenth-century mapping to have occupied
the Greengate street frontage. Historical mapping suggests that these structures were domestic
houses and shops, together with a hat manufactory in the eastern corner of the site. By 1850,
the footprint of the buildings along the Greengate frontage remained largely unchanged, but
the hat manufactory had expanded to occupy a much larger area, which essentially remained
unchanged until at least 1908. By 1922, this building had been subsumed by a rubber works,
which expanded to occupy the entire site.
The evaluation revealed archaeological remains which confirmed and expanded on historical
research and mapping. By comparing the results of the excavations with historical mapping it
was possible to identify three phases of development dating from the late eighteenth century
through to the early twentieth century, together with four structures relating to the hat
manufactory and rubber works.
Following consultation with the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service, in their
capacity as archaeological advisors to Salford City Council, it is concluded from the results
obtained from the evaluation that whilst buried archaeological remains do survive, these are of
a fragmentary nature. As such, further archaeological investigation in advance of
development is not merited.
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