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ABSTRACT
Archaeological excavations and built heritage recording has been undertaken by Salford Archaeology (based within the Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford) during the construction of a new rail link across the River Irwell between Manchester and Salford, known as the ‘Ordsall Chord’. The new bridge links existing lines of historic importance, and also crosses the extant remains of the world’s first passenger steam railway, the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, being carried over the Grade I designated ‘Stephenson's Bridge’ at approximately deck level. Six further Grade II designated structures were also affected by the scheme, as were the below-ground remains of a dye works that predated the opening of the railway in the 1830s, and a large livestock market that grew adjacent to the improved transport infrastructure provided by the rail network. This paper discusses the archaeological work undertaken on this important early transport hub during the construction programme in 2015–18.
Acknowledgements
The archaeological recording of the Ordsall Chord could not have happened so successfully without the tireless work of many individuals and organisations. Special thanks are due to Norman Redhead and Andrew Myers of the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service (GMAAS); Andrew Davison, Principal Inspector of Ancient Monument for Historic England; Bernadette Bone (BB Heritage Studio), Heritage Consultant for the project; the staff of Skanska BAM for on-site logistical support and assistance; Brian Duguid (Mott Macdonald) for sharing his technical knowledge; John Roberts (Salford Archaeology), who managed the archaeological recording project; Mandy Burns (Salford Archaeology), who directed the excavations; Lewis Stitt (Salford Archaeology), who undertook much of the standing building recording; and Ian Miller (Salford Archaeology), who edited this paper.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes on Contributor
Chris Wild is the Built Heritage Project Manager at Salford Archaeology within the University of Salford. He has 25 years’ experience in professional archaeology, specialising in the recording and interpretation of historic industrial buildings.
Notes
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