Digging up history at site of the future

A PIECE of history will be excavated on the site of one of Oldham’s new academies before the builders move in.

An old brick kiln at the site of Oasis Academy in Hollinwood will be surveyed by Oxford Archaeology North.

The academy will be built on the site of the Brook Mill in Millgate and should open in 2012-13.

Brook Mill is now demolished but was built by Oldham Twist Company in 1883.

Production ceased in 1970 and it was later used by Trendsetter Home Furnishings.

Results of the excavation, costing almost £15,000, will be published in the Greater Manchester Archaeology Unit’s “Past Revealed” series and pupils from the academy could also be involved in producing interpretation boards to display in the new building.

The original site for the the new academy was the Oak Colliery playing fields, which also house the skate park.

The land will now be used for playing fields, but two other historic remains, the Oak Colliery boiler house and the Albert Pit, will not be excavated as they are unlikely to be disturbed by the building work.

The need for a survey of the pit and boiler house will be reviewed as the contract progresses.