A 19th century site has been uncovered, which directly links to Manchester’s industrial heritage
16:30, 16 Sep 2025Updated 16:30, 16 Sep 2025
CGI of how the new Ferrous apartment block, in Manchesters Piccadilly East area, could look(Image: Capital&Centric)
Buried treasures from Manchester’s industrial past has been uncovered during the construction of a city centre apartment block.
Developer Capital&Centric has discovered fascinating glimpses of the 19th-century Dolphin Foundry – a former casting shop that produced metal goods such as machine tools, steam-cased pans and girders. The find was at the Ferrous site, just to the east of Piccadilly station.
The residential development is set to become a new community of design-led homes, café-bars and pocket parks.
A team of archaeologists dug deep into the land south of Chapeltown Street to find two wrought iron hooks, which experts believe were part of a permanent rotary crane used for lifting crucibles of molten iron and finished castings.
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Casting pits, core stoves, ceramics and old drainage systems were also discovered, pointing to a bustling hub of industry right in the heart of what is now Manchester’s most exciting neighbourhood.
Aerial view of the Ferrous apartment block site, in Manchesters Piccadilly East area(Image: Capital&Centric)
Ferrous will feature 107 apartments with a resident rooftop terrace, amenity and a café-bar on the ground floor.
Also proposed are two green pocket parks packed with planting and seating alongside ‘The Cabin’ – a new space for foodie residencies, pop-ups and parties.
It is part of Capital&Centric’s vision to turn this underused part of the city into a proper neighbourhood.
CGI of how the new Ferrous apartment block, in Manchesters Piccadilly East area, could look(Image: Capital&Centric)
It follows hot on the heels of their other Piccadilly East projects: Ducie Street Warehouse, Jenga Hotel, Crusader, Phoenix, and Neptune Mill.
Construction on the residential space is expected to begin later this year, once archaeologists are finished on the site.
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John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “There’s something special about building in Manchester, you’re literally laying foundations on layers of industrial heritage.
“With Ferrous, we’re not just putting up homes. We’re creating streets, hangouts and shared spaces where people actually want to spend time.
“It’s the next step in the evolution of Piccadilly East, from forgotten edge-of-town to one of the city’s most exciting new neighbourhoods.”