Latest news from the Rectory (Wigan Hall) is that it is in the process of being sold and we have been given notice to quit the site. This last month therefore we have been frantically back-filling and retrieving the equipment we've stored on site. We understand the buyer is a local business who intends turning the building into offices for his business. It has always been assumed that additional buildings would need to be erected to make the site financially viable. However, as the new owner is local, it is hoped that any development undertaken would be sympathetic to the site's significant historical heritage. There will of course be an archaeological condition placed on any application and the professional archaeologists would be involved. However Norman Redhead from GMAAS has assured us that because of our excellent work here, any project would make provision for our involvement.
We first got involved with the Rectory site when the building was put up for sale in 2008. We have been working there on and off every since and have accumulated a number very interesting results. Our topographic survey showed that the building stands on a ridge three metres higher than the entrance from Frog Lane. The desk top survey carried by Eric showed that Frog Lane, which runs in front of the grounds, had been moved when the hall was rebuilt in the 19th century and Eric's following project plan included the location of the origin lane. Identification of a moat around the hall and the possibility of finding evidence the bank and ditch described by Sibson was also included.
Excavations started in 2009 after we had managed to obtain a grant from the council for surveying and excavation equipment. The grant obliged us to include a community element which was fulfilled by the involvement of students from Winstanley sixth-form College. They came down two years running and we followed up with talks at the school. In fact over the course of the project we had over 25 volunteers as well as the college students (both members and guests). We excavated three sites in all and carried out resisitivity surveys on two of them. Our best resistivity results came from the back lawn but this area, unfortunately, never provided an the opportunity to dig.
Our initial target, the old Frog Lane, was found quite early on, although not in the form we had expected. It was shown to be constructed of compacted pit dirt, not stone sets. In the area where the Lane turned into Hallgate it had been replaced by a concrete raft. Lying under the Lane we discovered a number of other features resulting in the archaeology became quite complicated. The earliest feature we could date came from the mid 17th century and was represented by a thick compacted layer capped with a cobbled surface. This overlaid an earlier ditch feature but without any finds, was not possible to date. Our most recent significant find from the Rectory is the original entrance gateposts belonging to the late 17th century hall. Excavations here showed that the post structure lay on top of an earlier bank with a possible ditch on the hall side. Speculation about this being the defensive feature described by Sibson or the reputed moat will have to remain, however, as our work here has now been curtailed. There is still much to do with post excavation work including reports, section drawing and pottery analysis. Our intention is to present the new owner with our findings and hopefully in the future there may be an opportunity to return. A big thanks goes to Barry the curator who has always provided access and for allowing us to store our equipment in one of the outhouses. The full story of our work at the Rectory is published on our blog site which you can access here: http://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/blog/?page_ id=111
Next Meeting
Wednesday 7th May - in the Standish Suite at the Brocket Arms (7.30pm as usual). This month we have our very own Patrick Maloney who has volunteered to give us a talk on a particular passion of his, Roman Coins. Patrick was voted in as our new chairman at our AGM in February but has been doing the job since summer last year when Eric stepped down. I think every body agrees he has been doing a great job and I'm sure his talk is certain to be entertaining. Hope to see you there, BA
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