From the 8th to 20th October the University of Salford will be conducting an archaeological excavation at the site of Wood Hall in Reddish Vale.
From the Reddish Vale website:
"Wood Hall was the centre of an ancient freehold estate in Reddish, situated on high ground on the western edge of the Tame valley. ‘Wode Hall’ is documented in 1501/2, at which date it was owned by the Wood family. They owned land in Reddish in 1314 when there is mention of Henry del Wood, implying that there was a hall here by that date. It is likely that the Wood family took their name from the place which was itself named after an area of woodland. 19th-century maps show the hall set within a roughly oval area, which is suggestive of a small medieval assart or enclosure, reclaimed from woodland or waste."
On the Open Day - Saturday 20th October - people will have the opportunity to take part in guided tours of the site and there will be site based activities such as family history, crafts stalls and a small trench where children with their parents can have a go at excavations.
Members of the public are also welcome to help with excavation on other days, by prior arrangement with Brian Grimsditch. Heritage Trust members will be following progress of the dig with interest.
