York Archaeological Trust
The site produced a range of material types (see appendix), all of which have been viewed and assessed. All the iron objects have been x-rayed. Identifications are based only on initial viewings, not on the result of research.
The ironwork consisted of nails, a clench bolt, and unidentifiable fragments and small objects. Slag was found in a few contexts.
Medieval and late medieval pins with wire-wound heads, a thimble, a medieval strap-end, a balance beam, lace tags and a pierced disc were recovered.
A purse-mount from a textile or leather pouch was recovered from context 2003 which is dated by the pottery to the 16th century. This has a close parallel of a similar date from London. Window came was recovered from contexts 2000, 2001 and 2007, and a lead weight from context 1044.
A fragment of a pinner's bone, used in the manufacture of pins such as those referred to above, was recovered from 1054. Worked horn was recovered in context 3008 which is dated by the pottery to the second half of the 13th century.
Clay tobacco pipes were recovered from several contexts. Small mould fragments were found in contexts 2005 and 3015. Other finds included a pot-lid shaped from tile, counters or gaming pieces and a marble, all of which are likely to be medieval or post-medieval in date.
A few fragments of worked flint were found.
A few fragments of plain painted plaster were recovered from late medieval and modern contexts.
A few pieces of what appeared to be pegs or possibly tapering dowling were recovered. These require further cleaning and examination.
Two textile fragments were recovered from 15th or 16th century contexts (2001 and 2007). These are undergoing further examination.
Leather shoes and offcuts were recovered from the 15th and 16th century dumps, -indicating that these deposits may incorporate some manufacturing debris. This is a good collection and will merit further cleaning, conservation and research.
Fragments of' 18th century window glass and 19th century bottle glass were recovered.
Trench 1
A fairly substantial amount of pottery was recovered from this trench and nearly all of it, including the residual material, dates to the post-medieval period. There were remarkably few fragments of medieval or earlier pottery in any of the contexts, and what little there was came from the lowest deposits. Virtually all the sherds represented individual vessels, resulting in an extremely low sherd:vessel ratio, which, along with sherd size, is one of the clearest indicators of material occurring as the result of either make-up or dumping. The latest material in nearly all the contexts numbered between 1000 and 1054 dates to the 19th century, which is consistent with the interpretation -of this area as garden soils with 19th century structures. The 19th century sherds, however, form a minority in the context groups, with the bulk of the pottery dating to the 18th century. The lowest three deposits, 1055, 1056 and 1057, were earlier in date and contained none of the 19th century material prevalent in the upper contexts. The first two contexts date to early in the 18th century while context 1057 contains pottery from the later 17th century.
Trench 2
The upper contexts in this trench contain sherds of Cistercian wares which date to the 16th century. The only sherd which might be later than this is from the cylindrical neck of a tinglazed earthenware vessel of an unusual form. Unfortunately the glaze has been discoloured to a dark grey which makes identification extremely difficult, but the form is not one of the common 17th century types, and it is probable that this fragment is of Spanish or Low Countries origin and therefore 16th century, or earlier. Other associated wares include pieces from the three main Rhenish stoneware production centres of Langerwehe, Raeren and Siegburg. The relative proportions of these stonewares are higher than is normal for sites of this period in York, but is consistent with the ceramic pattern from religious houses generally.
Very little pottery dating to the 13th and 14th century was recovered from this trench, and there is a ceramic gap between the mid 15th/16th century material and the earlier medieval/Anglo-Scandinavian pottery which was recovered from the lowest contexts. A single abraded sherd from a Roman amphora found in the bottom context 2019 is almost certainly residual. Therefore the most likely date for the earliest dumps in this area is the 11th century.
Trench 3
None of the late medieval or early post medieval pottery such as that found in Trench 2 was recovered from this trench, but ceramics of 13th century date were found. The top context, 3002, yielded a sherd from a Humber ware drinking jug dating to the later 14th century at the earliest, as well as other Humber ware fragments. The contexts below this contained 13th century local glazed wares, Brandsby-type and York Glazed wares, as well as earlier residual sherds of the 10th to 12th centuries. The lowest of the contexts excavated, 3023, contained a large sherd of a York-type ware jar similar to one recovered from preConquest deposits at 16-22 Coppergate.
Conclusions
The potential for this site from the ceramic view point is great. From the fragments so far recovered it is highly likely that there will be important deposits from the first half of the 16th century associated with the Dissolution of the Friary. Even the limited amount of pottery already recovered has shown that there is a much higher than usual percentage of imports, notably stonewares from several places in the Rhineland and an early example of a Low Countries tinglazed earthenware jug or bottle. There is also sufficient evidence to show that the Anglo Scandinavian and Anglo-Norman periods are well represented and are equally likely to be of great significance.
Total number of boxes - 3.
The animal bone assemblage consists of the usual range of domestic sheep, pig and cattle. The cattle bones included several from very immature cattle (contexts 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008), which have previously been most commonly found in deposits of the 16th and 17th centuries onwards. Chicken and goose bones were also recovered from several contexts (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 3008, 3016), and bones possibly of duck came from contexts 1038, 1053. Large Gadid fish were found in many contexts (1004, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 3016), and a few bones of fallow deer were also found (contexts 2003, 2006, 3017). A particularly wide range of species was retrieved from context 2003, which, in addition to those bones already recorded, produced cat skulls, and the bones of rabbit, young hare, pigeon, a possible crane, and crab or oyster shell. Rabbit was also found in context 1039, which additionally yielded horse bones.
Overall, the assemblage is typical of post-medieval urban background debris. Although some of the bones appears to have been redeposited, there is little abrasion on most; a few show signs of having been gnawed (eg. context 2008).
Small fragments of human bone were found in contexts 1027 and1044.
Five medieval or late medieval architectural fragments were recovered. These included blocks, one possibly from a medieval door jamb or arch and another, dating to the 13th or 14th century, which shows signs of re-use. Of the other fragments one appears to be part of a window of medieval or late medieval date and may be associated with the lead window came referred to above.
Two structural timbers were recovered from 3009 and 3010. Both appear to be part of the medieval river frontage revetments and one (from 3010) shows clear sawing and chopping marks. Further cleaning and examination is required. Unfortunately, the timbers were not suitable for dendrochronological analysis.
Roman tile fragments were found residually in Trenches 2 and 3. other ceramic building materials included medieval peg and ridge roofing tile and brick, as well as post-medieval pantile. Plain glazed floor tile was recoverd from context 2005. There were two glaze colours represented, dark green and yellow, which would typically have been laid in a chequer-board pattern. Medieval glazed floor tiles tend to be associated with high-status establishments and a comparable assemblage was found at the Gilbertine Priory, Fishergate.
Miscellaneous bulk finds included shell, glass, stone, wood, coal, charcoal, daub and plaster. With the exception of some of the daub and unpainted plaster which might be residual Roman, all of this material is likely to be late medieval or modern in date.
Material such as the architectural fragments, window came and glazed floor tile incorporated into the 15th and 16th century dumps is likely to derive from the demolition of the Carmelite Friary buildings. Some of the artefacts, notably the important collection of pottery and leather, may also relate to the life of the Friary and offers potential information on the activities and status of the establishment. The Anglo-Scandinavian deposits indicated by the pottery would also merit further examination.