Industrial Heritage Uncovered
at Manchester's Spinningfields
Archaeologists working on Manchester’s Spinningfields
No 2 Hardman Street Office development have uncovered fascinating
insights into the city’s industrial heritage.
Archaeological excavation works undertaken by the University
of Manchester Archaeology unit, funded by Allied London
Properties revealed the remains of an 18th century soda-water
factory, a hat-making works, a silk finishing mill and many
houses of varying standard.
Spinningfields is a property development being undertaken
by Allied London Properties working in partnership with
Manchester City Council which will provide 375,000 sqm of
high quality commercial, civic, residential, retail accommodation
of public space within the Spinningfields area of Manchester
City Centre, integrated into an area bounded by the River
Irwell, Deansgate, Queen Street and Quay Street.
Excavations show that more than 200 years ago the area was
a hive of commercial activity - well before the Industrial
Revolution started in “Cottonopolis”.
Maps of the period identify the uncovered foundations as
Thompstone’s Chemical Works, Hampson’s Hat Factory
and Ashley’s Silk Mill in areas once occupied by the
romantically named Cupid’s Alley and Joddrell Street.
Two of the works are thought to have been in operation since
at least the last quarter of the 18th century. Old directories
list Samuel Thompstone as a manufacturing chemist at No
20 Cupid’s Alley and Sarah Richardson as a hat manufacturer
at No 21, although it is known that Joseph Atkinson was
a hat manufacturer in the late 1700s and the street was
renamed after him after his death in 1818.
The Assistant County Archaeologist and UMAU identified the
No 2 Hardman Street site as being of particular archaeological
interest out of all of he proposed development plots at
Spinningfields due to the relatively undisturbed nature
of the No 2 Hardman Street site and the likelihood of archaeological
remains being discovered.
The hat factory buildings appear to have survived well into
the 20th century, when photographs a three storey brick-built
building. Adjoining these on the west on Atkinson Street
was the former soda water works - now a public car park
between Atkinson Street and Tivoli Street.
Also part of the development site is a house on Deansgate
which was the home of the Bowers family - Miles Bowers senior
and junior were prominent figures in 18th- century Manchester
and gained their wealth from the town’s role as a
centre of hat making. Both were jurors on the city’s
manorial court or ‘leet’ and also held the office
of constable.
In 1755, Miles senior laid the foundation stone for Manchester
Infirmary in Piccadilly. The house is also thought to have
been the home of William Barrow, possibly a smallware and
fustian manufacture in Salford
The Golden Lion pub stood on the corner of Hardman Street
and Sidney Street, with much of the area occupied by rows
of two-up and two-down houses, in the centre of which a
covered entry gave access to Back Hardman Street, a narrow
passageway running along the back of the houses. Facing
onto the passageway were back-to-back, one-up one-down dwellings.
Although small, some of the houses did have the unusual
luxury of an outside toilet in the private rear yard. But
the other back-to-backs were poorly ventilated, badly-lit
and unhealthy.
The houses were demolished when Deansgate was widened around
1890 and Spinningfields, which is being developed by Allied
London Properties, will now provide 21st century-style living
on Leftbank, the largest residential scheme ever developed
in Manchester.
The Plot 202 B0 2 Hardman Street building will provide 143,000
sq ft of high quality commercial accommodation, and is due
to completion in March 2006. The Guardian Media Group (Manchester
Evening News) will occupy the ground to fourth floor of
this building.
- Ends -
For further information please contact:
Penny Audsley/Anna de la Perrelle PAPR 0161 209 3440
penny.audsley@papr-uk.com/anna@papr-uk.com
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