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 Chris Downes
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Mellor Archaeology
Around 1810, the Vicar of Disley excavated the Brownlow and Ludworth Intakes Bronze Age Cairns.  In the 1970’s-80’s an amateur group of four excavated the Bronze Age Shaw Cairn on the top of Mellor Moor above Cobden Edge.  But there was no hint of anything of archaeological interest around Mellor Church.
Then the drought of 1995 showed a green band run­ning across Peter Hodgson’s field to the North of the Old Vicarage – a crop mark did not reappear again until the dry July of 2006. In 1997, an archaeologist from the University of Manchester Archaeology Unit looked at photographs taken by Ann Hearle in 1995.   He thought “this is old”. Geophysics and digging started in 1998. Three students found a wide and deep ditch, which contained Roman and Iron Age pottery, cut into the rock at the West end of the OV garden. Another section of this deep ditch was excavated in 2003 at the East end of the OV garden over the wall from the front gate.

A narrower ditch was also found In 1998 in the field. Each year, sections of this ditch were opened up across Peter’s field. In 2004, the ditch was found to cross the Alehouse track into the field heading East towards Mellor Hall. Also in 2004, a similar ditch was found on the South side in Leslie Arundel’s field to the East of the Church car park.  This has now been tracked into the next field to the East.  
For a few years, we thought that there was one ditch around an Iron Age Hillfort, but it is now clear that there were two ditches. A wide and deep inner defensive ditch, backed by a palisade slot, enclosed most of the OV garden and the old churchyard. A narrower ditch, which could be stepped over, enclosed a large agricultural area surrounding the central defensive settlement.  It may go round the top of the hill and enclose about 50 acres.
Meanwhile, the drainage gulley of an Iron Age roundhouse, 13 meters across, had been found in the middle of the OV garden. Alongside there was an area of gullies and post-holes, which may have been the “backyard” of the house.
In 2001, a deep pit was found in the West end of the garden.  It was about a meter wide and 3/4 of a meter deep, with the different fill of a post down the centre. Archaeologists disputed what it was. Was it an Iron Age storage pit, which was later used as a post-hole? Or had it been dug by the Romans to support a structure, such as a signal tower?  The excavations of 2005/6 showed that neither guess was right.  It was one of four lines of large post-holes. Finds of medieval pottery, arrowheads, and radio-carbon dating showed that this was a structure from around the 14-15th centuries.  Most probably, it was the original Mellor Hall, lived in by Roger de Melleur, the King’s Forester of the Peak.
Over the years, there have been a great many finds: Mesolithic flints, pottery from 500 BC to Victorian times, metalwork, etc. Each year has brought one specially remarkable find:

 2001 - The Mellor Iron Age Pot   2002 - The Neolithic Flint Chisel     2003 - The Roman Brooches
 2004 - The Bronze Age Dagger         2005 -  The Medieval Arrowhead         2006 -  The Medieval Grindstone
Starting with three students in 1998, excavations have continued each year with volunteers from 17 to 70.  In 2006, there were about 70 “diggers”, with 20 to 30 and three professional supervisors on any one day.  This is community archaeology at its best.
For further information see:           www.mellorarchaeology.org.uk







CLICK FOR PICTURES OF DIG AND FINDS
08.08.16 News Mellor Heritage Project.pdf


FRIENDS 2011-12 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

SEEING THE SITE The section of the deep ditch at the East end of the Old Vicarage garden is open for viewing at any time. Access is between the entrances to the Old Vicarge and the Church.

SEEING THE SITE
The section of the deep ditch at the East end of the Old Vicarage garden is open for viewing at any time.
Access is between the entrances to the Old Vicarge and the Church.

MELLOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST

Registered Charity: 108160    www.mellorarchaeology.org.uk


Many of you, who have been visiting our new website in recent months will be well aware of the regular posts by Bob Humphrey-Taylor, who is leading the ongoing dig around the Mellor Mill site. One of his most recent ones has a wider appeal, we believe, and I therefore make no apology in repeating this here for everyone in our readership. The appeal for more folk to assist at weekends with guiding visitors is followed by an item of news about the Mellor Well Dressing and an update on plans for the 2013 Shaw Cairn Dig:

"The Mellor Mill project enjoys about 200 visitors each weekend. The 'digging volunteers' have found the need to be supported by volunteers willing to be 'Tour Guides' around the site. I would love to hear from any of you who may be interested in becoming a Guide. We currently have 4 trained Guides doing a great job. However, so that we are not asking the same people every weekend, it would be great to have about 8 more.

I will be running Training and Update sessions (for established and budding Guides) on Thursday 7th March at 10.30 am and Thursday 15th March at 3 pm. Other Training and Update sessions will be arranged as required in the future.

If you would like to come along and see what it is all about and how you might help then just turn up, in stout footwear and appropriate clothing, to one of the sessions. If the dates are not convenient please let me know so that an alternative can be organised.

The Guides are split into 4 half day sessions (two Saturday and two Sunday) with the morning session being 10 am - 1 pm and the afternoon 1 pm - 4 pm. Each Guide is provided with a comprehensive folder of information and images."














and regarding the Mellor Well Dressing:

"I am pleased to be able to tell you that the theme for this year's Mellor Well Dressing will be Mellor Mill. This will be a great opportunity to promote the industrial heritage of our area to a large number of people. The Well Dressing will take place as part of Mellor Fete on Saturday 29th June. If you Google Mellor Well Dressing 2013 you will see that it is listed on many sites throughout Midlands and North West."

Bob then goes on to add:

"Best wishes to all and if you haven't been down to Mellor Mill for a while you will be in for a big surprise - we are moving on at a pace and work has continued throughout the winter. So even if you have decided the weather isn't quite warm enough for you to continue volunteering do come and have a look and catch up with the action."

John Hearle has recently provided an update on the plans for the 2013 Shaw Cairn Dig:

"At a meeting in December 2012, plans were made for a three-week dig in July 2013. Dr Melanie Giles from Manchester University would join Dr Bob Johnston and the dig would be part of the fieldwork of students from Sheffield and Manchester. Donald Reid and Maxine Wild would lead Mellor volunteers on the dig.

Bob has now told us that he will be unable to run the dig in 2013 due to an important commitment at the University. This is related to a publication needed for the Research Excellence Framework, the outcome of which has an influence on the future of the department. Bob writes “There is no feasible way for me to complete the publication and give Shaw Cairn the attention it needs and deserves. I am still extremely keen, professionally and personally, to continue the collaboration with you and the Trust at Shaw Cairn.” One of the advantages of Shaw Cairn is that the site will not go away. We now look forward to a big dig in 2014."

So, there you have it; loads going on, much for you to see and take note of, BUT the Big Question remains: can we get some more 'guiding volunteers'? If you think you may be able to help and are interested in learning more, do please contact Bob directly on bob@MATrust.org.uk .

Thanks to all for your interest and, in advance, to those of you thinking now about volunteering to assist!


Best Regards

Chris Walters


PS: The image used above was taken by Arthur Procter during a site tour in 2010 and appears on the excellent http://visitmarple.co.uk/ website, which do please also visit for a very wide view of Marple and its history.



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