A KEY historical building may have been unearthed by archaeologists at the new dockside canal extension.

Experts are examining remains at the Pier Head they believe may be Liverpool’s second town hall.

British Waterways is creating a £17m extension to the Leeds and Liverpool canal from Stanley Dock to the Albert Dock.

Archaeologists have made several interesting finds as workmen dig down more than 20ft to create basins and tunnels for the new link.

Among them are pieces of sandstone decorated with scrolls and bosses of flowers, which were filling in ground 30ft behind the 18th century Chester Basin walls.

British Waterways project manager Charlie Wilsoncroft said: “Our archaeologists think they are most likely to be from the second Liverpool town hall and may date from around 1750.

“They are being catalogued and will be given to the museum.

“We’ve also discovered some early river wall, made from yellow sandstone which just crumbles when you touch it. We think this dates from the 1720s or 1730s.”

The work has also uncovered cobblestones, the foundations of dockside warehouses, and large parts of the Chester Basin walls.

Workers have also discovered the curved rear of the pink sandstone basin wall, which is the colour it would have been 220 years ago.

Phase one of the canal extension, across the Pier Head and behind the new Museum of Liverpool site, will be completed by June 2008.

The 20ft wide canal will come out of a tunnel on to the Pier Head, widen out into a basin in front of the Liver Building, then go underground again below a new grassed area in front of the Cunard Building, before coming out into a second stepped landscaped basin outside the Port of Liverpool.

The work can be seen by webcam by visiting www.britishwaterways.co.uk/liverpoolcanallink

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk