Cllr. Paul Murphy, Chair of the Irk Valley Steering Group had an idea. With a keen interest in local history, he had a long questioned the usage and make up of Moston hall, a former dwelling house that had stood in the lower Clough before its demolition in the 1960s. Built on a foundation of boulder clay straddling sandstone bedrock, the Hall stood on a key promentary site and vantage point, surrounded by 3 cloughs. “Why do this? To provide a sense of place, a sense of history, a sense of pride…” Cllr. Paul Murphy Chair Irk Valley Steering Group With the support of many partners, the “I Dig Moston” project aimed to focus the attentions of local people on their heritage, and their local green places…. History really can be on your doorstep. “This really is spectacular archaeology…the site is already of regional importance and we’ve only touched the surface…” Simon Askew, Site Director, Manchester University The dig ran over three weeks, meticulously planned by experts from Manchester University, with supervised access to nearly three hundred children from six local schools. Over the course of the dig over 500 local people attended daily tours, while the open weekend of the 23rd and 24th August attracted over 2000 visitors. “This is not just about walls…its about people” Cllr. Bill Risby, Irk Valley Steering Group member The finds continue to raise interesting questions…pottery fragments in excellent condition dating back to the 15th century have been found in what was thought to have been a barn area. Signs of wear on building brick walls indicate the use of early machinery, but for what exactly? “I dig Moston” provides an excellent start to for local people to explore their heritage. The digging continues next year… <<back