Wigan
Following an archaeological excavation at Gin Pit Colliery heapstead (raised mine shaft head area), GMAU have been working with the local community, developer and Wigan MBC to devise a scheme to cap the mineshaft and present the archaeological remains within a public open space.
In Wigan itself an evaluation of the Joint Service Centre development site has produced Roman and medieval remains. These will be subject to a 3 month archaeological dig in summer, with plenty of opportunity for the public to view the excavation’s progress.
The archaeological report on the excavation of the Roman bath house at the Grand Arcade shopping centre site is nearing completion, as is work on the presentation of the Roman remains within the shopping centre, with a book to come.
GMAU have been in negotiations with Wigan Planning and a developer to secure the preservation of Hopecarr Hall medieval moated site near Leigh for a future community project. Also at Leigh, another medieval hall site, Etherstone Hall, part of Leigh Sports Village development has been set aside with a view to forming a community archaeology project.