Magazine - Autumn 2025

Broadfield Slopes uncovering Rochdale’s past, creating a greener future

by by Nikki Staley

A well-known hillside in the heart of Rochdale is being transformed, bringing together the town’s rich heritage, community spirit, and vision for a more sustainable future. 

Broadfield Slopes, located between Rochdale Town Hall and St Chad’s Church, is the focus of a major restoration project that celebrates local history while creating new opportunities for residents to enjoy and shape the space.

Led by Rochdale Development Agency, and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund together with Rochdale Borough Council, this project is part of the wider Town Hall Quarter regeneration. Its aim is to restore and improve the historic parkland slopes that connect the town centre to Broadfield Park, making them safer, greener, and more  accessible to everyone.

Unearthing the Past Beneath Our Feet

Taking place alongside construction works, an archaeological excavation, dubbed ‘The Big Dig 3.0’, has uncovered remarkable evidence of Rochdale’s layered history. The work so far has revealed structures and everyday objects from the 17th to 20th centuries, offering a glimpse into how people once lived and worked on the Slopes. Three trenches revealed:

• A 19th-century alleyway and the remains of Leyland House, an 18th-century home later converted into tenements.
• A 17th/18th-century stone-built dwelling alongside newer 19th-century buildings.
• A public weigh station, with an earlier underlying structure believed to be connected to the former Central Corn Mill.

Among the artefacts found were:

• An in-situ counterweight from the weigh station.
• 17th-18th century Staffordshire slipware pottery.
• Tyg cups circa 17th century, and Victorian ink bottles.
• A George III silver shilling from 1817.
• A post-medieval token.
• Local ginger beer bottles and various pieces of Victorian pottery.

These discoveries echo the town’s industrial and social past while also giving strength to the belief that Rochdale was a site of strategic importance as early as the medieval period. 

Some evidence even suggests a marketplace may have existed nearby by 1251, placing the Slopes at the centre of civic life for over 800 years.

Over 445 local people, including 150 school-children, took part in the dig. Five local trainees also volunteered during the Big Dig 3.0, gaining new skills and employment experience.

A Heritage-Led Transformation

Broadfield Slopes is more than a green space, it's a vital link between the town's past and its future. The restoration will include:

• Conservation of historic features like the Grade II-listed Packer Spout and the Georgian rill.
• Safer, accessible paths and steps with new lighting and handrails.
• A new event platform and an ecological pond for outdoor learning and biodiversity.
• Drainage improvements, heritage-sensitive planting, and enhanced wayfinding.

The project is designed not just to restore, but to reconnect local people to this special place, through participation, education, and wellbeing.

A Place for Everyone

The Broadfield Slopes Activity Plan focuses on:

• Community Participation: Opportunities to volunteer, co-design features, and join creative workshops, particularly for underrepresented groups.
• Education and Skills: Schools like Broadfield Community Primary and Matthew Moss High are involved through curriculum-linked activities and real-world learning.
• Health and Wellbeing: A new Slopes division of the Green Volunteers will support physical and mental health through outdoor activities.
• Sustainable Stewardship: By involving local people now, the project aims to build long-term community pride and ownership.

A Shared Future Rooted in History

Broadfield Slopes has been part of Rochdale’s story for centuries. Thanks to the leadership of Rochdale Development Agency and the involvement of local people, it’s now set to become a thriving green space where nature, history, and community come together.

To find out more or get involved, visit: rochdaletownhall.co.uk/events