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• About GMAU
  • Role of GMAU
  • Archaeology in Greater Manchester
  • Historic Environment Record
  • Aims Objectives and Visions

About GMAU

The Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit (GMAU) acts as the archaeological curator for the ten Districts of Greater Manchester. The staff provide advice across the county on all matters relating to archaeology, including appropriate protection and recording measures on development sites.

The Role of GMAU

The staff at GMAU are involved in many different aspects of this work:

• Formulating planning policy
  
• Assessing the likely archaeological implications of development proposals
  
• Recommending any necessary archaeological work as a planning condition
  
• Modifying proposals to reduce their archaeological impact
  
• Drawing up briefs and specifications
  
• Monitoring archaeological works
  
• Providing lists of archaeological consultants, contractors and specialists
  
• Mediating between clients and archaeological contractors
  
• Preparing research agendas within the planning process
  
• Conserving, managing and interpreting archaeological remains
  
• Engaging communities with their local heritage.

Archaeology within Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester has an extraordinarily important and diverse history which is reflected in a rich historic environment of archaeological sites, monuments and buildings, museum collections of national and international importance, and historical archives, records and in particular the Historic Environment Record. The historic assets of Greater Manchester include: Prehistoric burial mounds and hillforts; Roman forts; Medieval townscapes and the Post-Medieval legacy of the region's industrial past, which together provide a rich resource for archaeological enquiry, study, management and development. See our Projects section for details of local archaeology.

The Historic Environment Record

GMAU maintains the Historic Environment Record (HER) (select for full details) for Greater Manchester which lists all known sites, structures and landscapes of archaeological interest.

Aims, Objectives and Vision

Our Aim is to provide inspiration for the development of sustainable policies and practice for the historic environment:

To develop an integrated service which enhances the educational potential of the historic environment

To promote intellectual and physical access to information concerning the historic environment for the enjoyment of all

To develop an archaeological research strategy for the protection and enhancement of the archaeological resource that is realistic and achievable and which will be implemented in a sensitive and sustainable manner

And to identify and review measures for the curation of the archaeological resource.

Our Vision is to investigate, study and record the historical and archaeological environment, and thereby promote understanding, appreciation, protection and enhancement of the archaeological and historic assets of Greater Manchester. The Unit will do this by working in partnership with the ten districts of Greater Manchester and the University of Manchester.

In October 2004 the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST merged to become the University of Manchester which is intended to develop into 'one of the world's leading universities over the course of the next decade'.

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