York Archaeology Online Collections

Items

• P5761 Former Hostel and Haymarket Car Park
  A continuation of previous works around the site of the former All Saints' Church, Peasholme Green. This phase consisted of removing all remaining inhumation burials from the intended development area.
• P1180 Cable Trench, Mount Terrace
  Natural deposits of firm brown clay were noted in all but Trench 1. Although no finds were recovered from the watching brief, all deposits and features overlying the natural were definitely or very probably modern in origin and associated with the installation of modern services. Nothing of notable archaeological significance was observed in any of the trenches.
• P5582 York Gas Works, Heworth Green, York
  A watching brief during mitigation ground works at the site of the former York Gas Works identified natural geological deposits at around 1m below ground level, overlain by an agricultural soil of 18th – 19th century date. This had been disturbed by a clearance and extensive levelling, dumping and waste disposal activity associated with the 19th and 20th century developments of the Gasworks. The site was then extensively levelled and turfed in the later 20th century. No significant archaeological remains were found.
• P5496 Utility trench, Navigation Road, York
  No deposits, buried structures or features of any great archaeological significance were noted during this watching brief. Along the northern part of Navigation road it was apparent that a good deal of landscaping and dumping, almost certainly associated with the construction of the modern flats in the area directly overlay, at least in places, natural clay and that any archaeology, apart from deep cut features, had been destroyed. In the central and southern parts of Navigation Road any coherent archaeology had also been destroyed, this time by the insertion of various modern services. The archaeological potential of the area remains, therefore, uncertain although it is probable that towards the southern end of Navigation Road archaeological stratigraphy of some note may survive.
• P5251 Utility trench, Robin Grove, York
  No finds were recovered from any of the trenches so any dating remains speculative. Context 1000 in Trench 4 and Context 1007 in Trench 16 were probably both natural and their relative proximity to the modern ground surface compared to the trenches in the gardens may indicate that topsoil has been brought in to raise the level of the gardens. The lower mid brown silts seen in Trenches 4 and 11 may be pre-modern agricultural soils although might be the product of modern landscaping. The possible ditch seen in Trench 16 is of some interest since it does seem to indicate that buried cut features can and do survive in the area which has been the subject of little or no archaeological recording in the past. Overall it would appear that the works have caused relatively little damage to the archaeology of the area and have provided a hint of the potential for remains of at least moderate archaeological interest surviving in this part of York.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 25
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 8
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 24
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 20
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0797 69 Holgate Road
  A construction cut and the probable remains of a World War II air raid shelter were recorded and seen cut through natural deposits to the rear of the property.
• P0794 The Acorns, Water Lane, Clifton
  Natural was observed at c. 1.10 - 1.40m below ground level. Above this possible medieval agricultural soils were seen in all the trenches except Trench 5. Ridge and furrow was also observed. Field drains were recorded cutting the agricultural soils and thus be associated with the rough pasture phase of use of this area in the 20th century. In several of the areas examined the agricultural soil had clearly been sealed by modern dumps almost certainly a result of the recent work on the site. A possible trackway was observed and while the limited stratigraphy on the site makes it very difficult to assign even a broad date to this feature, it appeared to lie close to and parallel with a field boundary. Since this area was enclosed in the post-medieval period it may be that this feature is of a similar date.
• P0792 Archbishop Holgate's School, Hull Road
  Modern deposits were observed immediately above natural suggesting that earlier deposits may have been truncated when the school was constructed.
• P0781 A64 Top Lane junction, Copmanthorpe
  An archaeological watching brief on two engineering test pits in advance of road improvements to the A64/Top Lane junction at Copmanthorpe revealed little of archaeological interest. A possible ditch or field drain and a former plough soil were noted above natural deposits. No trace of the Roman road from York to Tadcaster was found.
• P0780 53 Piccadilly
  In the eastern part of the site archaeological deposits had been truncated by late 19th century buildings which have subsequently been demolished. In the western part of the site a series of dumps was seen to slope down towards the west, following the natural topography of the site. Pottery recovered from this material had a date range from the Roman period to the medieval period but the date of deposition is thought to be later medieval or post medieval.
• P0777/P0824 Former Concrete Works, Leeman Road
  Fourteen test pits and seven bore holes were observed as a watching brief. Modern dumping was recorded to a depth of up to 2m above natural over the majority of the site. In one trench c. 0.10m depth of build up which was possibly of post medieval date was recorded. Further work examined eight evaluation trenches. In one of these trenches, close to Leeman Road, the base of an old plough soil was identified. This deposit included Roman and post medieval pottery. The majority of the deposits which were encountered industrial waste including ash and cinders together with building and structural debris. In addition some deposits were redeposited natural. This material was all interpreted as modern infilling and levelling of a sloping ground surface associated with railway construction and works. See also desk top study 2000.2 YORAT
• P0758 The Mount School, Love Lane
  Observation of the initial trenches, in the south-west part of the site, suggested that the construction of the existing tennis court in c.1985 had destroyed any archaeological remains in the vicinity. A concentrated group of disarticulated human bone was found at the southern angle of the new building which may have come from a burial disturbed during construction of the tennis court and reburied immediately. Further north-east the upper part of a known gravel pit was seen and this would also have destroyed any archaeology in the immediate area.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 19
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 18
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 16
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 15
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 14
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 13
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 12
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.
• P0647 Hungate Development (Phase 3)
  2000.1-14 YORYM, is the composite site code for the Hungate Development; 14 individual codes. The archaeological investigation in advance of the major redevelopment scheme in the Hungate area of York involved desk-top study, borehole and engineering test pit analysis and trial excavation. See 1999.253 YORYM for phases 1 and 2. The archaeological evaluation involved the excavation of 14 trenches. Well-preserved organic deposits were recorded at depth in a large number of the investigative trenches and engineering holes. Evidence for a possible natural ridge extending south from the modern street, The Stonebow, towards the River Foss was also recorded as well as a possible natural valley or stream that flanked the south-west side of Hungate. This may have continued in use into the medieval period as a King’s Drain or perimeter ditch for the Carmelite Friary. In all but one of the trenches a sequence of deposits which dated from the Roman period to the present day was recorded. The features which were dated to the Roman period included a sandstone structure which may have been a culvert or a wall, a grave, a cobble surface associated with a ditch, possibly part of the Roman road leading from the south eastern gate of the fortress, and a number of pits and evidence of dumping in the River Foss. A cobble surface of the Anglian period and a number of contemporary dump deposits were located close to the northern edge of the site. Evidence of timber buildings fronting Hungate in the Anglo-Scandinavian period was found, with rubbish pits and dumping in the area to the rear of these buildings. Occupation in Hungate continued into the medieval period and the area to the east of the street appears to have remained open and was used for dumping and horticulture. The northern limits of the King's Fishpool were established. Evidence of two ecclesiastical buildings was recovered. Excavation revealed burials within the graveyard of the medieval parish church of St John in the Marsh together with possible remains of the church building. Structural elements, pits and dumps which were thought to relate to the Carmelite Friary included a substantial stone wall built in the 13th century which was interpreted as part of major terracing operation. Post medieval deposits included evidence of terraced houses, horticulture and industrial activity. Following the demolition of the parish church and the Dissolution of the Carmelite Friary, part of the site became open ground which was reflected in the build up of horticultural soil and dumps which sealed medieval features. A series of road surfaces thought to represent Hungate were also encountered. A dump of relatively clean material was thought to have related to the canalisation of the Foss. The remains of 19th century housing, some of it cellared, were found in most of the excavated trenches. These buildings were cleared in the 1930s and the site was occupied by buildings which were used for light industry. A territorial army depot and an ambulance depot were also constructed on the site. This development had truncated post medieval deposits over part of the site.
• P0742 Hungate Development, Trench 33
  See 2000.1-14 YORYM One of 14 individual site codes of the Hungate Development.