ARCUS were commissioned by EC Harris Ltd, on behalf of Raven Group, to carry out archaeological investigations on land to the north of Alma Street between the former Greenups site (Kelham Riverside) and Kelham Island Museum. Archaeological investigations comprised evaluation (four trenches), mitigation excavation (three areas) and watching brief identified archaeological structures and deposits, primarily of industrial period interest, surviving across the site. Trench 1 and Mitigation Area A contained structures thought to be associated with the Kelham Island (Firebrick) Works dating from the early 1900s and an earlier flue system possibly associated with the Kelham Rolling Mills which had extended onto this part of the site by 1890. Trench 2 and Mitigation Area B exposed extensive remains of the former Kelham Rolling Mills, thought to date from the 1830s. This included the bases of a series of roll stands, the base of an octagonal chimney, a Lancashire boiler base, a possible wheel pit and engine bases. Trench 3 contained structures probably relating to the expansion of the Rolling Mill over this part of the site in the late 19th and early 20th century. Trench 4 and Mitigation Area C contained the remains of a smithy and an adjacent building with an internal chimney/furnace structure and an external Lancashire boiler base. The buildings possibly date from the early-mid 1800s. Buried subsoil deposits relating to pre-industrial development were also identified in two areas of the site.
R. O'Neill (Thu,) studied this question.