Volunteers help unearth secrets of Northwich salt mine

[gash]

RESIDENTS with a passion for history have been helping to unearth the secrets of another salt mine in Northwich.

As part of Saltscape's Community Archaeology project volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life were trained in basic archaeological surveying techniques by experts from Salford University's archaeology department.

Using old maps of the Ollershaw Lane Salt Works, which operated from the mid-19th century, the team worked on a series of 'test pits' to unearth more information about the site, one of 61 mines in Northwich at the time.


So far finds have ranged from the 1600s to the last century, and include clay pipes, pottery, glass and porcelain.

The excavations have uncovered brick, clay and industrial waste from many years of salt production and found evidence of an early drainage system developed to reclaim the marshy area to be fit for industry.

The project took place on Thursday and Friday on a site near the Lion Salts Work Museum on angling club land.

Read more : http://m.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/14693637.Volunteers_help_unearth_secrets_of_Northwich_salt_mine/