Historical Discoveries Unearthed During Crewe Youth Centre Excavation

Excavations for a new youth centre in Crewe have led to the unexpected discovery of historical remains, including the foundations of a former Methodist chapel and a collection of locally-made bottles.

Crewe Youth Zone is being constructed on the site of a former car park on Oak Street, which was built in the 1970s. The car park, which replaced older buildings, had been partially demolished and filled in, with its history largely forgotten. However, as work began on the new centre, archaeologists unearthed significant remnants of the past.

Ashleigh Harrington, an archaeologist with Oxford Archaeology Lancaster, expressed surprise at the findings, saying the team had expected to find "absolutely nothing surviving" from the former buildings. Their dig focused on a site marked as a chapel on historical maps, where they uncovered a 2m-deep cellar, the remains of the chapel itself, and a variety of artefacts, including broken bottles marked with "Crewe."

"We found a little range indicating a kitchen, a fireplace suggesting a sitting room, and then a bottle storeroom full of broken bottles," Harrington explained. "The building was demolished in the 70s to make way for the car park, but they didn't remove everything, so the amount of remains we've uncovered is quite astonishing."

The team is now researching the bottles to uncover more details about their connection to both the chapel and the town’s history.

The youth centre project, spearheaded by the OnSide charity, represents a £14m investment in the local community. Stuart Mannifould, the chief executive of Crewe Youth Zone, highlighted the significance of the project for young people in the area, noting the challenges they face, including high levels of poverty. The centre will offer a safe space for young people to engage, grow, and access youth services.

"It's just great to see the site transforming," said Mannifould. "The young people we work with are excited for the centre to open. It's more than just a building—it's a place where they can come together and build a brighter future."

The new youth zone is scheduled to open in spring 2026, and the discoveries made during the excavation have added a fascinating historical layer to the project.