York Archaeological Trust
The archaeological deposits recorded are described in chronological order, from the bottom up.
The earliest deposits encountered were silty clay loams. They had a highest point of 8.35m AOD, and they were at least 0.45m thick overall (1045, 1053-4, 1056 and 1058). They are thought to have constituted a post-medieval garden soil.
Into them was dug a shallow, linear cut (1052) containing the bottom course of a brick wall (1050) on a northwest/southeast line. This was overlain by another brick wall (1032) on a similar alignment, and standing a total of 0.95m high.
Thick dumps of sand (1044), mortar (1023 and 1041) and cinders (1037) indicate that the ground level associated with the wall was raised quickly to 8.9m AOD. This may have been necessary to support the wall, which had foundations less than 150mm deep and displayed a distinct lean to the south-west.
Brick wall 1032 appears to have formed the northeast side of a building. To its southwest, there were internal floors (cobbling 1031; and brick floor 1006, laid in a herringbone pattern); there was also evidence of internal partitions, in the form of post-holes 1014, 1019 and 1043 and brick wall 1029. To the north-east of brick wall 1032, there was a cobbled yard (1003). Clearly, there was considerable activity within and around this building.
Wall 1032 was demolished to the level of the contemporary ground surface (about 9.10m AOD) prior to the raising of the ground level by the dumping of a thick cinder layer 0.6m thick. This was overlain by the existing warehouse floor (1000).
The earliest contexts encountered were two layers (each up to 0.40m thick), one of clay (2018) and the other of silty clay (2019). They attained a highest point at approximately 6.25m AOD.
A linear north-south cut (2017), 0.80m wide and at least 0.40m deep, cut the preceding dumps. It appears to have acted as a drain or small ditch; environmental evidence suggests that it ran through open, dry land. The end of its use is represented by backfill 2016, and by sandy clay 2015, which seals it.
A narrow, linear feature (2014) was then cut along the line of the west edge of the former drain. Three post pipe voids (2021-3) indicate that posts were driven into the base of the cut, and later removed. This is thought to represent a timber structure, possibly a fence (Fig. 6a). It seems to have been associated with a gravel surface (2013), found only to the west of the structure.
An extensive layer of silt clay (2012), at least 10Omm thick, is believed to have been an alluvial deposit, presumably produced as a result of flooding by the King's Fishpool.
The alluvium was followed by a series of dumps, each no more than 10Omm thick, which seem to have been deposited into open water, and reached a height of 6.80m AOD. One (2005, not on section) was composed entirely of medieval building debris, most notably glazed floor tiles. The others (2003, 2007-9) were generally silty clays, and contained much organic material; 2003 contained a wide range of artefacts, particularly leather shoes and metal pins and other objects.
The following deposits in this trench were removed by machine, and were all assigned to context 1000]. A thick rubble layer up to 0.55m thick, with its top at 7.25m AOD, covered the preceding dumps; it is thought to have been a levelling deposit (to raise the ground level). The overlying rubbly silt clay, approximately 0.40m thick and as high as 7.65m AOD, probably performed the same function.
An overlying, homogeneous silt clay loam is about 0.50m thick (to 8.10m AOD; it is considered to have been a postmedieval garden soil.
Finally, brick walls and ash/clinker and rubble layers represent 19th-century buildings, covered by the existing yard surface.
The earliest context encountered was a sandy silt (3023) at least 0.25m thick. Although it was observed only in the south corner of the trench, it clearly sloped down to the south, especially south of revetment 3014, where the angle of slope reached 70 degrees; it sloped down from 5.75m AOD to 5.40mAOD. It is not clear whether this was a dump or an alluvial deposit. The relationship of an east-west line of posts (3013, 3019-22) to 3023 could not be determined.
A timber structure (3014) was then built along the break of slope of 3023. It consisted of a large upright timber (3009), approximately 2.Om long and 0.2m wide, driven into 3023. Against the northern side of this post, planks (3006 and 3010) were edge-laid, one on top of the other, to form a timber face at least 0.35m high. At its highest observed point it was at 6.00mAOD). The planks were apparently held in place by dumps of silt clay (3017-8) to the north. 3018 was 0.15m thick to the south, but tapered away to the north; 3017 was up to 0.25m thick, with the highest point on its surface at 6.10m AOD. Taking the environmental evidence into account, it appears that the revetment transformed the preceding sloping land into a flat, vegetation-covered surface over 0.40m higher. It is likely that the area south of the revetment, lacking any contemporary
??? deposits down to at least 5.15m AOD, was open water during the life of the revetment; consequently, the revetment is interpreted as a quay (Fig. 6b).
The thick revetment-related deposits were overlain by thinner silt clays, less than 0.1m thick and of limited extent (3004, 3015-6). Although it is possible that they too were part of the revetment construction, they are thought to be the product of activity on the quay-side.
To the south of the revetment, the earliest deposit encountered was a loamy sand (3008), at least 0.60m thick and with a maximum height of 5.73m AOD. This lay against revetment 3014, and is believed to have been alluvial, laid down in the open water immediately south of the revetment.
The end of the revetment's use is marked by thick dumps of silt clay. The first (3003), limited to south of the revetment, was 0.57m thick, to a maximum height of 6.30m AOD (effectively to the top of the revetment). This was followed by 3002, up to 0.60m thick, with its surface sloping down from 6.80m AOD on the north to 6.50m AOD on the south. This was overlain by an even thicker dump of clay (3001), to a height of about 7.30m AOD.
[The following deposits were removed by machine, and were all assigned to context 3000]. Above 3001, a layer of silt clay approximately 0.40m thick, followed by a dump of late medieval/early post-medieval building debris about 0.30m thick, reached a height of 8.00m AOD. This is thought to represent another episode of levelling, intended both to raise the ground surface above the flood level of the River Foss, and to encroach further on the former King's Fishpool.
Above the rubble, a homogeneous silt loam approximately 0.60m thick (to 8.60m AOD) is considered to have been a postmedieval garden soil.
Finally, layers of rubble and silt clay, no more than 0.30m thick in total, formed the modern deposits.