York Archaeological Trust
Fourteen archaeological evaluation trenches were excavated by York Archaeological Trust in advance of the Hungate Development in York. Twelve of these were 1.50m deep, one was 3.00m deep and one was excavated to 5.50m below ground level. The trenches were located in an area roughly bordered by the modern street of The Stonebow to the north, the River Foss to the south, the Northern Electric Depot buildings to the east and Garden Place to the west.
All but one of the trenches contained archaeological
deposits ranging in date from the Roman period to the
present day. The Roman remains included a sandstone
structure, possibly a culvert or drain, at least one
grave, a cobble surface and associated linear cut, which
may be a road or yard surface, a number of pits and
evidence for dumping into the River Foss or a tributary
stream.
A cobbled surface of the Anglian period and a number
of contemporary dump deposits were located close to
the northern edge of the proposed development. A number
of features of Anglo-Scandinavian date were also excavated
including evidence for buildings on the street of Hungate,
which was clearly founded and intensively settled during
this period. The area to the east of Hungate contained
a number of rubbish pits, while the area to the east
of Garden Place was used for dumping.
Medieval deposits were located in most of the trenches. Hungate was continuously settled throughout the period and the area to the east of the street seems to have been largely open ground used for dumping and horticulture. The northern limits of the Kings's Pool were located in one trench, and part of the medieval parish church of St John-in-the-Marsh (also known as St John-the-Baptist) and its associated burial ground were also found. A number of structural features, dumps and a sequence of inter-cut pits were recovered within the area owned by the Carmelite Friary, and almost certainly relate to it. These included a major stone built wall which appears to represent a terracing operation in the 13th century.
Post-medieval and modern deposits relating to horticulture, terraced housing and industry were found in most of the trenches.
