South Trafford Archaeological Group
Encyclopedia
The South Trafford Archaeological Group (STAG) is an archaeological group based in Timperley
, Greater Manchester
. The group promotes interest in and the study of archaeology and history locally, especially within Trafford
but also beyond the borders of the borough. Its activities include post-excavation work and documentary research.
STAG was formed in 1979 and provides facilities for volunteer archaeologists from south Manchester and north-east Cheshire. It has 95 members and is based near the site of Timperley Old Hall
– a medieval moat
ed hall – and the clubhouse of the Altrincham Municipal Golf Course. STAG has undertaken excavations as far away as Condate, the Roman
name for Northwich
, in Cheshire. The group has been involved with sites such as Timperley Old Hall; Carrs Mill in Stalybridge
; Moore's hat factory in Denton
; the medieval hall in Urmston
; and Moss Brow farm in Warburton
. The excavations in Warburton led to the site being excavated by Time Team
in 2006 with the involvement of STAG.
In 2008, STAG was awarded £44,400 by the Heritage Lottery Fund
to renovate the site of Timperley Old Hall. The work will involve installing a bridge across the moat, installing information boards on the site, and developing an information scheme for local schools. It will also allow new archaeological investigations to be performed on the site.
Timperley
Timperley is a village within the Altrincham area, of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. Situated within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, Timperley is approximately seven miles southwest of Manchester....
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The group promotes interest in and the study of archaeology and history locally, especially within Trafford
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
but also beyond the borders of the borough. Its activities include post-excavation work and documentary research.
STAG was formed in 1979 and provides facilities for volunteer archaeologists from south Manchester and north-east Cheshire. It has 95 members and is based near the site of Timperley Old Hall
Timperley Hall
Timperley Hall was a moated manor house in Timperley, Greater Manchester, England, first recorded in 1560, but almost certainly built to replace an earlier medieval structure. Very little remains of the 16th-century Hall, which is not shown on the Tithe map of 1838. The date of the Hall's...
– a medieval moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed hall – and the clubhouse of the Altrincham Municipal Golf Course. STAG has undertaken excavations as far away as Condate, the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
name for Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
, in Cheshire. The group has been involved with sites such as Timperley Old Hall; Carrs Mill in Stalybridge
Stalybridge
Stalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
; Moore's hat factory in Denton
Denton, Greater Manchester
Denton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is five miles to the east of Manchester city centre, and has a population of 26,866....
; the medieval hall in Urmston
Urmston
Urmston is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of around 41,000. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre. The southern boundary is marked by the River Mersey and the...
; and Moss Brow farm in Warburton
Warburton, Greater Manchester
Warburton is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Cheshire, Warburton lies on the south bank of the River Mersey between the borough of Warrington and Greater Manchester. Today, the village remains...
. The excavations in Warburton led to the site being excavated by Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
in 2006 with the involvement of STAG.
In 2008, STAG was awarded £44,400 by the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
to renovate the site of Timperley Old Hall. The work will involve installing a bridge across the moat, installing information boards on the site, and developing an information scheme for local schools. It will also allow new archaeological investigations to be performed on the site.