Bramall Construction support for archaeology

Bramall Construction who are currently working at Peel Hall Park have sponsored the archaeological dig and are providing safety equipment and security fencing.

Team of budding archaeologists from South Manchester have been unearthing a host of Irish treasures at local landmark, Peel Hall Park.

The excavation of the site has been arranged by South Manchester Archaeological Research Team (SMART) in conjunction with Bramall Construction.

Groups of children from local primary schools are being given the chance to get involved and 'get their hands dirty' .

Seven year old Isabel Smith from Crossacres Primary School is one of the youngest members of the visiting excavation team.

She is excited by the hands on approach to local history "...It's been really good to find all these things from a long time ago".

"We saw an old leather harness that belonged to a big Shire horse and a special ribbed bottle to keep poison in".

"Some of my family still live in Ireland and I am going to tell them all about it".

Andy Coutts from SMART, lead archaeologist on the dig, is pleasantly surprised at the quality of some of the Irish artefacts uncovered "Peel Hall Park in the 1700s was one of the largest farming areas in the North West".

"Itinerant Irish labourers would travel to work here, staying for up to three or four months of the year".

"We have unearthed a wide selection of smoking pipes from the early 1700s, as well as crockery and jars".

"Some of them are clearly decorated with harps and what looks like Celtic writing, this is all indicative of the rich Irish heritage in Manchester- quite fitting for St Patrick's Day".

Bramall Construction who are currently working in the area have sponsored the dig and are providing safety equipment and security fencing.

Phil Peacock from Bramalls is amazed at the findings so far, "It has been fascinating to be on site at a dig like this and to see real pieces of Irish history come to life after so many years underground".

"At Bramall Construction we are really keen to get involved with projects that bring the community together and we are extremely proud to be involved with the Peel Hall Park dig".

* Bramall Construction has been working to improve people's homes and environments in South Manchester since the early 1990s.

* Bramall Construction has been involved with numerous local development projects in the area, working in partnership with, amongst others, Willow Park Housing Trust, Parkway Green Housing Trust, Southway Housing Trust and Manchester City Council.

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