Didsbury Flood Storage Basin, Greater Manchester- Watching Brief

The Environment Agency commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to undertake an archaeological watching brief during preparatory ground works for possible improvements to the flood defences within and around Didsbury, Greater Manchester. The watching brief was required to investigate the potential for preservation of archaeological features and/or deposits around allotment gardens and a Rugby Club car park, and was carried out between 16th March and 19th March 2009. The groundworks carried out under permanent archaeological presence involved the hand-excavation of inspection pits to a depth of 1.2m. This was followed by coring to a depth of approximately 6m, which did not necessitate archaeological monitoring. Nevertheless, due to the schedule of site works the coring was carried out whilst the archaeologist was in attendance and was therefore recorded.
The groundworks revealed a variety of river sediments likely to be associated with a palaeochannel of the River Mersey. Some of these deposits (105, 107, and 109) recovered from considerable depth (2m to at least 5.9m) contained well-preserved plant material, which has the potential to provide dating and environmental information. Rivers were often a focus for activity during the prehistoric period and, therefore, it is recommended that any further works should be undertaken under archaeological monitoring and any deposits that are revealed that are thought to be of archaeological potential should be systematically sampled for environmental remains and scientific dating purposes.