Archaeological evaluation : Store Street, Ancoats, Manchester

In March 2017, Salford Archaeology was commissioned by CgMs Consulting to carry out an archaeological evaluation of land between Store Street and Millbank Street in the Ancoats area of Manchester (centred on NGR 385150 398175). The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation produced by CgMs Consulting in June 2016, and was required to fulfil a condition (Condition 12) placed on planning consent for the redevelopment of the site (Planning Ref: 110276/FO/2015/C2). The archaeological interest in the site was highlighted in a desk-based assessment that was produced by WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2015. This concluded that there was potential for archaeological remains relating to the early 19 th -century Ardwick and Ancoats Dispensary and a mid-19 th -century iron foundry and copper works to survive insitu. The archaeological evaluation comprised the excavation of two 30m long trenches, which were targeted on the footprint of the former iron foundry and copper works in the central part of the site (Trench 1) and the Ardwick and Ancoats Dispensary to the north-east (Trench 2). The only archaeological features observed in the excavated trenches, however, comprised a short section of a 20 th -century wall in Trench 1, and a wood-lined circular feature with an associated brick surface in Trench 2. Both of these features were truncated and fragmentary, and were overlain by a homogenous mixed demolition rubble levelling layer, which appeared to have been deposited very recently. Based on the results obtained from the evaluation trenches, it is concluded that no further investigation is merited in advance of the construction works for the proposed development