An historic fire station in Prestwich is about to be unearthed in an archaeological dig.
The excavation of Fairfax Road fire station will be led by archaeology and heritage consultancy Civic Heritage on behalf of Chroma Consulting UK Ltd, as part of the regeneration project to sustainably transform Prestwich Village, led by national placemaker Muse and Bury Council.
The community is invited to the public open day from 11am until 3.30pm, following the excavation, to view the site and learn about its history, with talks given by Ollie Cook, director at Civic Heritage.
Currently hidden beneath a carpark to the east of Prestwich town centre, the fire station is thought to have been built in the 1890s. The station consisted of three groups of buildings arranged around a central courtyard. Some of the buildings are believed to have been used as stabling horses and others to store hose carts, an early form of fire brigade equipment.
Records suggest it was operational until the 1940s when all fire brigades were nationalised during the Second World War, before being demolished in the 1980s.
The fire station holds special cultural significance locally, having appeared on the cover of Prestwich post-punk group The Fall’s record, ‘how I wrote “Elastic Man”’.
The excavation aims to add more detail to the internal layout of the buildings, with the team attempting to identify what each building was used for. Civic Heritage’s team will carefully expose and map the walls within the site, which forms part of Muse and Bury Council’s £100m regeneration plans to transform Prestwich into one of the best places to live in the North West.
The proposals include creating new spaces to help people and businesses to thrive, with a mix of high-quality homes and family-friendly spaces, as well as a new community hub that promotes health and wellbeing.
Ollie Cook, director at Civic Heritage, said: “Fairfax Road fire station was established in the 1890s, at a point when the town had expanded significantly. The services the fire brigade provided were fundamentally important to the town’s growing population. The station buildings were largely functional, but were not without architectural ornamentation and the buildings fronting Fairfax Road demonstrate this, clearly embodying a sense of civic pride.
“Our rediscovery of Prestwich’s lost fire station is a real breakthrough for the community and an opportunity to learn more about the town’s past way of life, as well as an exciting find in Muse’s regeneration of Prestwich Village. We look forward to working meticulously to uncover the site, sharing it with local people and preserving its story for future generations.”
Bob Bonner, curator at the Fireground Museum, added: “Civic Heritage has made a fascinating discovery of huge historical value for the region’s fire service. While historical records are limited, old photos show it was typical of a fire station built by local authorities in the late 1800s to house a hose cart and was it likely the home of the fire Chief. Sites like this are rare, and it’s fantastic we have been given an opportunity to revisit its past and share it with the local community.”
Richard Kelly, project director at Muse, said: “Having received planning approval for the regeneration of Prestwich Village earlier this year, we’re now making preparations to begin the construction of the travel hub. As part of this process, we have unearthed the former fire station, which is very exciting.”
Image credit: Bob Bonner
