Local history enthusiasts are invited to get hands on with history in a major archaeological dig taking place on the Broadfield Park Slopes next month.
The Broadfield Park Slopes, which are currently being restored and redeveloped as part of a council and lottery funded project, have a fascinating history.
The site, which sits just behind Rochdale Town Hall, is thought to be key to the early development of Rochdale. The natural spring which forms the Packer Spout Fountain created an abundant water supply which is thought to have supported the development of industry around the site.
Earlier digs on the site have uncovered the foundations of a Victorian corn mill known as the Charles Kershaw Central Corn Mill. A weighing station has also been discovered on the site, which people would have used to weigh the corn they had bought at market to ensure they hadn’t been short changed, ensuring fairness for all, a major principle on which the worldwide cooperative movement, founded in Rochdale, was based.
It is hoped that the new dig, taking place from 7 July 2025 to 18 July 2025, will enable people to uncover even more of the site’s fascinating history, particularly its post medieval history, dating from the 1540s to the 1760s.
Archaeologist, Dr Colin Elder, from Elder Archaeology CIC, which is leading the dig, said:
“This area is crucial to the development of Rochdale and it would have been a hive of activity, particularly during the Industrial period. Homes, now long gone, would have lined the church steps and the people living in them would have worked in the mills in the area. Archaeology is an evolving story though; there’s always more to discover, and Rochdale residents will help us do this as part of the next big dig.”
