Rubble at mill

Archaeological survey will dig up Orb’s past

The history of Oldham’s Orb Mill site will be revealed by an archaeological survey before building starts on the new Waterhead academy.

The survey is part of the planning permission for the academy, which will replace Breeze Hill and Counthill schools.

Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit has drawn up a brief for the dig site in Holgate Street, and the contractors will be L-P Archaeology, consultants to Channel 4’s “Time Team”.

Andrew Myers, Greater Manchester’s assistant county archaeologist, said the area covers mining, mills and a Methodist chapel.

He added: “The development site includes a block of land, originally split between Lancashire and Yorkshire, including the sites of Newroyd Mill which dated back to the 1820s and a mine, the Paulden Wood Colliery, going back to the 18th century.

“There were a number of Parliamentary reports in the 19th century about the exploitation of children in mines which make pretty grim reading, and mention the Paulden Wood Colliery.

“It would be good to have some local commemoration, although it is fairly sobering.

“We are hoping to put together some kind of commemorative information about the industrial heritage of the area. After all, it is to be an academy and it would be good to explain its roots.”

The academy is one of three being built in the borough under Oldham’s £230 million Building Schools for the Future scheme.

The site, which has been demolished and cleared, also included Orb Mill, built in 1907 and which ceased cotton production in 1961. Then it was used by ICI for wallpaper production until 1976, before last being used by Hestair Hope, the educational suppliers.


The council is also carrying out a survey to find the line and level of an enclosed culvert which runs underneath the site so that detailed design proposals can be drawn up for the academy.