RESIDENTS with a passion for history have been helping to unearth the secrets of another salt mine in Northwich.

As part of Saltscape’s Community Archaeology project volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life were trained in basic archaeological surveying techniques by experts from Salford University’s archaeology department.

Using old maps of the Ollershaw Lane Salt Works, which operated from the mid-19th century, the team worked on a series of ‘test pits’ to unearth more information about the site, one of 61 mines in Northwich at the time.

So far finds have ranged from the 1600s to the last century, and include clay pipes, pottery, glass and porcelain.

The excavations have uncovered brick, clay and industrial waste from many years of salt production and found evidence of an early drainage system developed to reclaim the marshy area to be fit for industry.

The project took place on Thursday and Friday on a site near the Lion Salts Work Museum on angling club land.

The site is not usually accessible, but the team was able to carry out the project with the permission of the Club 20 Angling Syndicate which owns the land.

Rachael Maskill from the Saltscape Landscape Partnership said: “It’s been great seeing local people learn the techniques to uncover the secrets of this site.

“Some of the people taking part actually worked at the Lion Salt Works or very nearby and have living memories of the industry. It’s been invaluable to have them on the dig with us.

“We had 16 volunteers each day, ranging in age from late teens to retired people, and had a total of 25 people on site.

“The volunteers were a mixture of people who had been involved in a dig before and others for who it was something new.

“For people who came along for the first time there was an element of curiosity, and all the volunteers shared a passion for local history.”

As well as being involved in the dig the volunteers helped to clean and bag the items which were found and are due to be archived.