Stockport
Major development projects in the town centre have required archaeological desk based assessments, for St Thomas Hospital, Sainsbury’s and Bridgefield Street. A building survey of Cheadle Bleachworks, a former medieval corn mill, was followed by excavation which revealed the remarkable survival of two in situ mid-19th century water wheels capped by concrete plinths in the early 20th century.
The development is being redesigned to preserve these wheels and there will be public display boards outside the development area. Further excavation of the wheel pit bases is to come, once it is safe to carry this work out.