SCHOOL children made history at a new housing site in Ramsbottom last week.

Following the discovery of a historical time capsule uncovered at a building site of the former Ramsbottom Cottage Hospital, pupils at St Andrew’s Primary School created their own.

The artefact was uncovered at the site of the former Aitken Memorial Hospital, and contained a number of coins and a newspaper cutting from the year the hospital was opened in 1898.

The capsule was buried by Lady Aitken, whose family set up the charitable hospital.

Children from the Ramsbottom school created their own time capsule to bury on Thursday, February 11, together with Ramsbottom Heritage Society, at the Eccleston Homes development, Jubilee Gardens.

A pediment from the original hospital was recovered, restored and replaced at the Jubilee Gardens site, creating a welcoming entrance to the new homes.

Eccleston Homes, Ramsbottom Heritage Society and St. Andrew’s Primary School gathered by the pediment to bury the new time capsule, containing items gathered by the school children and Eccleston Homes to represent the 21st century and the year of its burial.

Items included a photograph of the school, 2016 coins, a picture of the Rio Olympics logo, local newspapers and a brochure for Jubilee Gardens.

Kevin Marren, founder of Eccleston Homes, said: “We would like to thank Ramsbottom Heritage Society for bringing to life the history of this special piece of land.

“St. Andrew’s School made so much effort to choose objects for the time capsule that will make history in another hundred years’ time, and it might even be their children and grandchildren that live here and discover the time capsule.”

Because the pediment shows the Aitken family emblem, Eccleston Homes also tasked St. Andrew’s Primary children to design their own family coat of arms. The three winners were awarded with book vouchers when they joined Year 6 pupils at the burial ceremony.

Tony Mosedale, a member of Ramsbottom Heritage Society, brought along the original time capsule and said: “It was a wonderful occasion to mark the discovery and restoration of important historical features of Ramsbottom, whilst making our own piece of history with Eccleston Homes and its Jubilee Gardens development, the school children and the locals that had visited the hospital as children themselves.”