Big dig at Sheffield Digital Campus reveals Sheffield’s past
Sheffield’s intriguing archaeological past has been uncovered as the ongoing construction of Sheffield Digital Campus has opened up a rich seam of history.
Located next to Pond’s Forge and between the bus interchange and the railway station, Sheffield Digital Campus is the city’s largest and most ambitious building project for years.
As part of the construction process, joint developers GMI Property Company and Scarborough Development Group have allowed the West Yorkshire Archaeology Service complete access to the site for research and practical exploration.
From a medieval agricultural meadow through to a car park and now home to country’s most technological advanced office park for the digital and creative industries, the site has reflected the fortunes of Sheffield across the centuries.
One thing that has remained constant at the site is the Old Queen’s Head. The pub – originally thought to be a small banqueting house on the edge of the agricultural land – has seen 600 years of changes (including the prices of beer).
The meadow land was quickly paved over in the 18th century to form the basis of a colliery and coal yard to feed the emerging industries in the region. From coal to cutlery, the focus of industry at Sheffield Digital Campus’ site shifted once again in the early 1800s. Cutlery remained the principal effort on the site for over 150 years before becoming the Sheaf Valley Baths, a car park and the old bus station. Apart from a few lost swimming goggles, most of the remains on site include grinding wheels, crucible furnaces and foundations for other heavy equipment from the cutlery days.
“It is fitting that the next phase of Sheffield’s business evolution is taking place at a site that was at the heart of the city’s previous industrial strengths,” said Deborah Doyle, Director of GMI Property Company and one of the project directors for Sheffield Digital Campus.
“The really interesting finds – such as pieces of the grinding wheels – will be incorporated into the design of the first two buildings that are currently under construction at the site. Who knows, in 200 years time the state-of-the-art technology we are creating at Sheffield Digital Campus may be used as special interesting features what ever comes next in Sheffield’s development.”
Sheffield Digital Campus is planned to provide over 600,000 sqft of prestigious office space for companies working in Sheffield’s highly important and growing creative and digital industries. The first phase of the development includes two 55,000 sqft buildings – one already let by Sheffield City Council to offer managed office space for new and growing businesses – has started, and with the steel frames of the buildings due to be erected in the next few months with completion by summer 2008.