Secrets of Orb Mill revealed

EVIDENCE of the force of the great flood of 1927 was uncovered when archaeologists excavated the Orb Mill site at Waterhead.

The flood struck Oldham on July 11 causing major damage across the area.

At the Orb Mill, earmarked as the site for the new academy to replace Counthill and Breeze Hill schools — but now subject to the latest Government spending cuts — a culvert beneath the building burst its banks and part of the mill and local cottages collapsed.

The experts from L-P Archaeology, advisers to Channel 4’s “Time Team” programme, are compiling a report for Oldham Council. The survey was one of the planning conditions for the new academy.

Their five-day dig opened a series of 30-metre trenches over the Orb and neighbouring Newroyd mill sites, the Sunday School building associated with the local Methodist Chapel, and the site of the Paulden Wood Colliery.

Blair Poole, one of the archaeologists, excavated the watercourse where the River Medlock was diverted to power the Newroyd Mill, which was built in the 1820s, and demolished in 1970.

He said: “We found four or five bricks in part of the stone wall at a funny angle, where buildings have basically been damaged and taken with the flood.”

His colleague, Claire Statter, said although most of the site was cleared when the mill was demolished, sections were very well preserved.

She added: “We excavated the rear wall relating to the Sunday School, however. it had also been disturbed during demolition.

“Orb Mill revealed the most interesting areas of archaeology. We saw the foundations for the main frontage of the mill building, and a very well preserved brick floor which would have been within the mill itself.

“This floor later had concrete pads inserted into it to act as a base for large machinery. To the rear of the site we also found a brick structure which is thought to be part of the engine house or at least the power system for the mill.

“To the north-east corner of the site we found a large stone wall which would have formed the southern side of a large water course, seen on the 1892 map.

“Evidence for the colliery was restricted to a dumped deposit of waste associated with the mining that took place on the site in the 18th to late 19th century.

“We would also like to thank the many visitors who took an interest and gave us some useful information to help with our interpretation of the site.”