The construction of Crewe Youth Zone has led to the discovery of historical artifacts, including remnants of a former Methodist chapel and a collection of locally-produced bottles. These findings emerged as excavation work began on a site previously occupied by a 1970s car park in Crewe, Cheshire.

Unexpected Historical Remains

The site, located on Oak Street, was once home to residential buildings and a Methodist chapel before being repurposed for a car park. When the car park was developed in the 1970s, existing structures were only partially demolished and subsequently covered with fill material and asphalt.

Archaeologist Ashleigh Harrington, from Oxford Archaeology Lancaster, admitted that her team initially expected to find little to no preserved structures. However, upon excavating a 10m by 20m trench at a location identified on historical maps as a chapel, they uncovered a significant portion of the building’s remains, along with a neighboring house’s two-meter-deep cellar.

Discoveries from the Past

Among the most notable finds was a small kitchen area featuring a stove, a cozy fireplace suggesting a sitting room, and a bottle storage space filled with broken glassware—many of which were embossed with the name “Crewe.”

“This building was simply buried under the car park rather than being fully removed,” Harrington explained. “The fact that we’ve found so many well-preserved remains is remarkable.”

The archaeological team now plans to conduct further research into the recovered bottles to establish their connection to both the chapel and the town’s history.

A Community-Focused Project

The excavation comes as part of the ongoing development of Crewe Youth Zone, a project spearheaded by the charity OnSide, with nearly £14 million invested in its construction.

Stuart Mannifould, the chief executive of the youth center, expressed excitement over the progress. “We’ve been laying the groundwork for months, but now seeing actual construction take shape is thrilling,” he said.

The project aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment for Crewe’s young people, particularly in light of economic challenges facing the community. “There are significant struggles among our youth, with poverty being a major issue,” Mannifould noted. “This space will offer them a place to connect, express themselves, and receive guidance from dedicated youth workers.”

Crewe Youth Zone is expected to open its doors in the spring of 2026, promising a transformative space for the town’s younger generation while preserving pieces of its past.