5 October 2004
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.
