Today saw some new starters. A cellar was gradually been cleared of its rubble fill exposing a blocked in cellar window. This may indicate that the ground level at this side of the house may have been much lower than previously imagined. Also the walls on one side of the cellar appear to have had large cupboard with the use of plaster to seal the back of the structure. This cellar is towards the front if the house and should have been drier.  Completion of site gridding occurred and drawing started. Trench two had the mud slop removed from yesterdays down pours and drawing was started, hoping to complete tomorrow.

Chris clearing clay slime now cornered and submerged in modelling clay!

North faciong section of trench two, note two depressions possible gentle sloping ditchs. The one on the left stinks…suggesting organic materail including sulphorus smells (this was next to the stone lined drain. The one on the right contains burnt waterlogged deposits, see photo below.

Birnt waterlogged deposits centrally in slot, smelly deposits to the right and drain also on right.

Recording, sun too strong thus used plastic over harris fencing to provide shade to aid contexts recognition for planning ( this is me..kevin)

Biggest Conundrum on site so far. Latest speculation is a barrel shaped vault. However why did it not collapse completely when the building was demolished. Perhaps by saturday another suggestion will have arisen.

A TAS social visit to the oldest church in Greater Manchester. Many thanks to Geoff Wellens local Historian for an excellent educational tour.

Spot the Norman arch having been reduced in width when this part of the church was rebuilt.

Stunning windows.

Boar war

Bell tower adorned with wood

Lorraine: section drawing trench two

Steve in cellar corridor with doorway appearing

Visit by Mike, Brian and Adam , discussing progress with Vicky and volunteers

A sunny start to the day  but cooled significantly by afternoon. However trench two kept providing pottery finds, pipe bowls etc. Steve was working down in the top of a cellar corridor and discovered a doorway in the cellar.

http://youtu.be/QbgyZzJ7Oig

a tune by Fred Astaire, likely to have been listened to in Eastwood House pre WW2.

After a cool start ( idea for overhead photos though!) Work carried on , Sarah was kept on her toes with her fourth day of school children …only two days to go. Thanks to all the teachers for their support. Hope there are some budding archaeologists in these groups.

The front entrance started showing some promise, however a layer of bricks were a little out of place, possibly a later phase related to a parks use?

Trench two started to match the geophysics and it would appear that this area was cleared comprehensively and worked over by machinery during the demolition of the site.

Trench two, note linear anomaly entering trench the from the left, the cinders used to level the features cause the magnetic shapes

Note the left hand corner which matches the geophysiocs anomaly

Possible main wall on left of photo and to the right a later phase of bricks laid on their sides for use as a path

Interior cellar wall with likely door entrance

If any one one has seen one of these please let kevin (wright722@btinternet.com) know the location. They can be a cylinder as in this photo of one found in Tameside, usually with central pin or a central space so they can be rolled into place or much larger less mobile forms e.g. cube shaped. Of particular interest is a line from Warrington to Stock port and then northwards towards Rochdale. It could be anywhere with 10 miles either side of this. However any other sightings appreciated. They were often reused for land management e.g. around water ways.

The first day was helped by glorious weather . The rear of the house was the starting point for Trench One. A cobbled walk way with an external wall and drain suggested this could be the entrance to the south wing. Additional walls also started showing up. A second trench was located over some geophysical anomalies which may relate to a garden feature. This has not yet shown anything to a depth of 30cm.

All hands on deck in Trench One (rear of the Eastwood house)

Chris puts his hands together after overseer Kerry checks his trowelling in Trench two.

How many servants walked over the path since 1830? Note drains in cobbles and outside walling to left. This path leads to the Stable block.

A double wall, probably load bearing being cleaned.

Steve producing that straight edge much admired on a quality site!

Cheetham parks dog walkers had a surprise today as the the machines moved in. The area where the big dig was screened off whilst a digger started peeling back the soil layers to start revaling the parks hidden secrets.

TAS members assisted in the site preparation. TMBC has also been sassisting with sourching tables ( thanks ‘Debra’ and to the the Civic Hall Stalybridge for last minute assistance) for the small exhibition area.

Monday will see schoolchildren and volunteers entering the building! Spaces still availabe for next week.

Digger takes the day

TAS has put togother research material for exhibit at the next Manchester Dig series (Salford University) in Cheetham Park. Very litte was known about the families who lived at Eastwood House. A request went to the House of Commons and  Dr Philip Salmon and Dr Kathryn Rix came to rescue. As part of thier duties they are producing a book on the Mps and associated history of parliament fim 1832 to 1945. This research material for the two MPs who lived at Eastwood House will be on display during the two weeks of the dig (10/3/14) with an open day with site tours (22/3/14).Click on this to have a look at their website

Rock in centre, note chisel marks

TAS have been surveying an area known as windgate edge. Several years previously a large rock with chisel marks was discovered and recorded by TAS. We returned today to survey the rock further and looking for evidence of any other form of quarrying.

TAS pulled pottery samples from its previous 10 years of excavations.

A database will be put together with samples of pottery.

Kerry  went through how pottery can be classified and how some fragments can be dated from the processes avaiable to the potters at the time. Watch out for the database in the near future which can be used to assist regional pottery recognition.

Kerry discussing a fragment of  iron glazed earthenware (C19).