Site Event/Activity record ECH6761 - A6 Manchester Relief Road Archaeological Investigations: Post-excavation assessment and updated project design

A series of archaeological mitigation works were undertaken between 2015 and 2018 along the course of the A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road which runs from NGR 393345 385705 (Hazel Grove) to NGR 382054 385615 (Manchester Airport). The road crosses two neighbouring local authorities, Cheshire East and Stockport, and accordingly, the archaeological mitigation was jointly addressed by the Cheshire Archaeology Planning Advisory Service and the Greater Manchester Archaeology Advisory Service, with the overall lead being taken by the latter. The sections of the Scheme which lay within Cheshire East included Areas 2/3, 4/5, and 31 and 32. The mitigation targeted areas of archaeological potential as identified by an earlier environmental scoping report (Mouchel 2010), desk-based assessment and geophysical survey (Wessex Archaeology 2015). It employed various methodologies at different points along the Scheme, including trial trenching, watching briefs, photographic survey (not included in this report), and strip, map and record. The results of those areas within Cheshire East are as follows:- Areas 2/3 were virtually contiguous (separated only by a narrow footpath left in situ) and together formed a 0.6 ha excavation area located some 67m to the north of Area 4/5. The areas were subject to watching brief and strip, map and sample excavation designed to investigate a township boundary and an area of ridge and furrow identified within the 2010 scopeing report. Two ditches converged in the southern part of the site to form a ‘T’-junction. The east–west ditch was 1.8 m wide by up to 0.8 m deep and had a bowl shaped profile with evidence of recutting. The north–south boundary was marginally slighter at 1.5 m wide by 0.33 m deep. Both boundaries could be seen continuing along the unstripped surface as earthworks accompanied by a sparse tree/shrub line. This east–west ditch formed the boundary between the Townships of Northenden and Pownall Fee, as well as the former County boundary. A variety of post medieval/modern finds was recovered from these ditches. Finds from Area 2/3 comprise pottery, ceramic building material, clay tobacco pipe, glass, animal bone and metal. All datable finds are post medieval/ modern. Areas 4/5 comprised a diamond-shaped area of 0.1 ha located between Moss Nook and Handforth. Fieldwork in Area 4/5 was designed to investigate ridge and furrow cultivation/linear cropmarks recorded by the 2010 scoping report, although these actually were not identified. However, a scatter of a dozen or so small isolated features were recorded; these were interpreted as pits and postholes along with a few short linear features/gullies, although no convincing structural pattern was discerned within the remains. Two of the pit-like features contained struck flint and a potential grape pip and may represent prehistoric activity in the area. Additionally, two other features contained concentrations of charcoal, another contained heat-affected stones, and one other contained a hazel nutshell fragment. Given the proximity of these features, they may all relate to the same spell of prehistoric activity. Finds from Area 4/5 comprise one flint waste flake from pit 4043 and three small chips from pit 4006. The flake from pit 4043 has edge damage and is likely therefore to have been re-deposited in the pit. It nevertheless provides evidence for prehistoric activity in the vicinity, as do the chips from pit 4006. Area 31 lay on the north-western side of Clay Lane where it runs between Styal and Handforth (NGR 385220 384400). It occupied around 0.7 ha and was examined by means of two evaluation trenches (31.1 and 31.2), both circa 30m in length. These were dug to investigate an historic landscape area of former field boundaries, with geophysical indications of buried ditches and pit-like features. No features of archaeological significance were identified. A few finds were recovered from Area 31, consisting largely of pottery (45 sherds), along with ten pieces of ceramic building material, ten fragments of clay tobacco pipe, and four fragments of glass. The finds came from four contexts: topsoil, a spread and a pit fill. All finds are post-medieval/modern, with the likely potential date range 18th to 20th century. Area 32 was located between Bramhall and Poynton on the south-eastern side of Woodford Road where it runs between Hazel Grove and the A5149. It occupied approximately 3.1 ha and was examined by means of four evaluation trenches, all aligned north-east to south-west and 25m in length. These were targeted to investigate former field boundaries and pit-like features recorded in the scoping report and geophysical survey. The most archaeologically significant feature recorded was a ditch which corresponded with a field boundary marked on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1883 and survived until at least the 1970s. No evidence of any earlier activity was recorded. A few finds were recovered from Area 32. These comprise nine sherds of pottery, and one piece of ceramic floor tile. These came from four contexts: topsoil, a field drain, and two other layers. All datable finds are post medieval/modern, with the likely potential date range 18th to 20th century.