A new archaeological dig site is allowing UCLan students to unearth Preston’s industrial past.

The site, at the junction of Fylde Road and Brook Street, will provide training in all types of fieldwork and outdoor data gathering for students in Archaeology, Archaeology and Anthropology, Forensic Science and Forensic Anthropology.

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The students were out last week in all weathers, uncovering terraced housing foundations from Preston’s early 19th century boom.

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Rick Peterson, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, said: “The Archaeology Fieldwork Training Facility will be based here on Brook Street for the next five years.

“During the time we are based here we will be investigating Preston’s early industrial past. Brook Street was just outside the limits of the Medieval town and, as the population grew with the development of the cotton industry, this area was densely occupied.

“Excavations on the previous Fieldwork Training Facility, which was on Pollard Street about 300m from the new site, found large amounts of pottery, animal bone and clay tobacco pipes. These included early 19th century types but we also found good evidence for earlier occupation on the site, including 17th and 18th century pottery from Staffordshire and Wales.”

The dig site will be open for the UCLan open day on Sunday 7 October.

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To find out more follow the UCLan Archaeology and Anthropology programmes on Twitter @UCLanArch&Anth.