Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester. Archaeological Excavation Final report.

In March 2012, Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was commissioned by the University of Manchester to carry out a programme of archaeological investigation in advance of a proposed development at the Whitworth Art Gallery, a Grade II listed building on Oxford Road in the Chorlton-on-Medlock area of Manchester (centred on NGR SJ 8488 9597). In the first instance, a desk-based assessment of the site was
carried out. This was coupled with an archaeological building survey of the Art Gallery, and a geophysical survey of land immediately to the rear of the building. This
preliminary work identified the sites of several features of archaeological interest, which were tested subsequently by the excavation of several evaluation trenches in Whitworth Park to the rear of the Art Gallery.
The results obtained from the evaluation trenches demonstrated that some buried remains of archaeological interest survived on the site. In particular, well-preserved
structural remains of glasshouses and associated outbuildings to the rear of the Art Gallery were exposed at a shallow depth in most of the trenches. Following
consultation with the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service, which provides archaeological advice to Manchester City Council, it was recommended that two areas of the site were targeted for further excavation in advance of the proposed development. The principal aim of the excavation was to compile a detailed record of any buried remains to mitigate their ultimate damage of destruction during the works associated with the proposed development. In addition, given the nature of the archaeological remains, it was recommended that the University capitalised on the
opportunity to facilitate a community-led excavation, and commissioned Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) to provide the required supervision.