York Archaeology Online Collections

Items

• P5280 Land at Galmanhoe Lane, York
  An archaeological evaluation was undertaken between 7th and 12th October 2009 at the former YAT Wet Wood Laboratory on Galmanhoe Lane, York. A single trench measuring 4m x 2m was excavated to a depth of 1.25m below ground level. A former ground surface of post-medieval date was encountered, which contained an animal burial and was overlain by a 0.60m thick garden soil, also of post medieval origin. The area remained undeveloped until the mid 20th century, when a sequence of structures culminating in the current building was constructed at the above location.
• P5244 Sewerage Attenuation Tank, 28-40 Blossom Street, York
  ASSESSMENT A 2.8m deep excavation at 28-40 Blossom Street conducted between 30th June and 14th August 2009 encountered natural glacial deposits at 13.22-13.06m AOD, overlain by six phases of Roman activity dating from the late 1st to the late 4th centuries AD, 3 phases of medieval deposits and 2 phases of post-medieval and modern activity. Roman activity consisted of 1st/2nd century ditches and a small road, mid 2nd/early 3rd century levelling and possible industrial and funerary activity, major 3rd century levelling and possible structures and a mid/late 4th century clearance and building. Of specific interest are the early ditches which have potential parallels nearby, the possibility of mid2nd/early 3rd century funerary features given the proximity of the site to known cemetaries, and the apparent lack of any trace of the main road from Eboracum to Calcaria, thought to lie immediately north-west of the excavation. The absence of clear road-side structures akin to those encountered in earlier excavations in this area until the late 4th century building may have significance for future studies of this area. Also of interest is the extensive amount of material used in both phases of levelling, derived from a mixture of industrial, domestic and funerary sources, which have the potential to refine understanding of Roman activity in the wider Blossom Street area. Post-Roman activity was limited to evidence of 11th-13th century ‘back-land’ agricultural activity, overlain by 1m of medieval ploughsoil and the remains of nineteenth century buildings demolished in the 1960s. ANALYSIS The analysis phase of this investigation has resulted in a refinement of the original assessment phasing and interpretation. Activity commenced on this site with a late 1st/early 2nd century AD agricultural landscape, with a small road running perpendicular to the supposed main route into the civilian settlement from the south-west. The area south-west of this road was at the edge of a possible cremation cemetery in the early 3rd century AD, which seems to have gone out of use by the mid 3rd century, when a substantial levelling event using re-deposited 2nd century material occurred, with refuse pits and dumps, and a small post built structure with a cobbled surface was erected in the late 3rd century. This activity was then sealed by levelling deposits and the yard and post holes of a large timber building of early 4th century date. Its remains were heavily truncated by a clearance event in the late 11th century AD that removed any in-situ evidence for late and post-Roman activity, the presence of which was inferred from the quantity of residual material in later deposits.
• P0773 Holmwood House Hotel, 112-114 Holgate Road
  To the rear of the property a plough soil of medieval or earlier date was found to be sealed by a surface formed of brick likely to have dated from immediately prior to the construction of the property c. 1846-51.
• P0770 Electrical Substation, York Railway HQ, Station Rise
  Deposits seen in the base of some of the deeper intrusions in Trench 1 were thought to be Roman in date. 12th century activity on the site was represented mainly in the form of pits, including possible lime-mixing pits together with possible postholes and clay spreads which could be the remnants of insubstantial buildings away from the medieval street of Tanner Row. Post medieval deposits were found to have been truncated by 19th and 20th century construction.
• P0532/P0574 BHS Store, 44 Coney Street
  Archaeological work carried out in advance of the construction of escalator pits revealed extremely well preserved remains of the Roman legionary fortress wall standing to a height just below the modern floor surface. The fortress wall appeared to be retained as a landscape feature well into the 13th century, and although the wall was robbed and material built up against its sides during the medieval period, it continued to be used as a property boundary in to the 20th century. Occupation of the Feasgate frontage was represented by a series of pits which indicated the disposal of butchery and leather working waste which were dated to the early 12th - 13th century. Timber and clay lined pits which had been truncated by later pits may have been associated with tanning or textile dyeing trades. A complex series of beam slots, which was thought to be the remains of a timber framed outbuilding or byre, dated to the 12th century. Medieval deposits had been partly truncated and post medieval deposits completely removed by the construction of the modern shop.
• A0790 St. George's Field Car Park, Pumping Station
  Alluvial deposits above naturally deposited material seemed to lie in a channel which may have been part of the original channel of the River Ouse. Alluvial deposits were found dating from pre-historic times to the medieval period. Timber piles and a cobble surface were encountered and may have dated to the Romano-British period or to the Anglo-Scandinavian period. A limestone wall was thought to be part of St George's Chapel. Pits may represent medieval activity on the margins of the land not subjected to regular flooding. A brick structure was thought to date to the 19th century and was sealed by modern deposits relating to the car park.
• A0133 118-26 Walmgate
  Traces of a post-Roman/Anglian surface were found on this site. A wattle-lined well shaft which dated to the 9th-10th century together with other evidence of occupation suggest a domestic use of the area during this period. Buildings dating to the 11th-12th century showed evidence of metalworking, The area appeared to be levelled in the later 12th century when domestic buildings were constructed, to be replaced in the 13th century with a timber-framed building resting on cobble and limestone sill walls. Internal divisions and alterations together with hearths and a salt box indicated the occupation of this building over a period of time, before it was replaced in the 15th century. A timber-framed building founded on pottery waste, fronting Walmgate, was extended in the 16th century, when a courtyard was also added. Insubstantial additions were made to the building in the 17th century. Evidence of a hearth where ironworking had been carried out was found, and it appeared that the whole of the downstairs of the building was given over to industrial activity. In the area behind the property, in the 16th-17th century, there were numerous clay-lined pits which may have been used in the processing of sheep skins for parchment making. The area was rebuilt in the 18th-19th century with Victorian terraced houses fronting the street, and gardens and out-houses to the rear.
• A0368 City Walls, Walmgate Bar
  Excavation of trenches through the rampart on either side of the City Wall revealed evidence of Anglian occupation prior to the construction of the medieval rampart. Phases of rampart and wall construction were recognised and modern truncation completed the stratigraphic picture.
• A0361 City Walls, Foss Islands Road
  Excavation trenches through the rampart on either side of the City Wall revealed evidence of Anglian occupation prior to the construction of the medieval rampart. Phases of rampart and wall construction were recognised and modern truncation completed the stratigraphic picture.