The Merseyside Archaeological Society (MSA) was founded in 1977 with the aim of bringing together those interested in the archaeology and heritage of Merseyside.

Rainford village was a major centre for the production of pottery and clay tobacco pipes in the post-medieval period, and has been studied over the years by local researchers, though few excavations have taken place.

This community archaeology project was run by the MSA, with support from National Museums Liverpool. It aimed to locate a number of sites in the village, to record their survival, significance and date of the archaeological deposits, and to improve the local community’s knowledge of the village’s heritage.

The project delivered five community excavations. These investigated the ceramics production site, a tobacco pipe factory, and test pitting in gardens. Excavations were accompanied by workshops, talks, schools sessions, walking tours, exhibitions and a re-enactment event. The local community volunteered over 3,500 hours on the project.

Project outputs include web-based information, social media updates, downloadable resources, image galleries and blogs. Archaeological finds were catalogued and placed into the collections of the Museum of Liverpool.