Archaeologists Excavate 200-Year-Old Manchester Pub

Archaeologists stumbled upon a boozy surprise recently while excavating a site in Manchester, England. The Independent reports that archaeologists were digging beneath the site of a future skyscraper when they discovered the remains of several underground houses and a former pub built in the 19th century.

Called Astley Arms, the pub was so well-preserved that senior archaeologist Aidan Turner and his team were even able to retrieve several intact bottles of brandy. The liquor bottles, as well as some pottery pieces found on the site, were labeled with the name of the pub’s 1821 owner, Thomas Evans. While the Astley Arms pub has long been a ruin hidden beneath the streets of Manchester, it had an impressive century-long run. Historians believe it was opened in 1821, was renamed Paganini Tavern in 1840, and returned to its original name in the 1850s, serving up liquor as the Astley Arms until 1928.

"Part of Manchester’s vast history is being captured in these findings, which is really interesting,” site developer James Alderson told The Manchester Evening News. “It’s amazing knowing there’s so much history at this site.”

[h/t The Independent]

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