York Archaeological Trust
Trenches 25 and 33, which were both located in the Northern Electric Headquarters, are considered together in Group 8. Earlier work in the area (Oakey 1989) suggested that Victorian cellars had caused extensive damage to the archaeological deposits.
Trench 25 was 4.20m x 2.00m in size and 1.50m deep. All of the deposits in Trench 25 were removed by machine and recorded in section. Context number 25001 was attributed to stray finds from the machining.
The earliest deposits encountered were compact clayey silts (contexts 25020, 25019 and 25018) and were sealed by compact orange-brown clayey sand (context 25017). The only dating evidence recovered was a single sherd of 10th century pottery from context 25018, but this could be residual. These deposits are interpreted as horticultural soils.
A series of land drains aligned roughly north-south and their associated backfills, truncated the Phase 1 deposits. These were contexts 25107, 25016, 25015, 25043, 25037, 25036, 25035, 25027, 25024, 25025 and 25026.
Above contexts 25026 and 20524 were levelling deposits of building rubble and mortar (context 25014) and compact orange sand (context 25034). These were truncated by a wall construction cut with vertical sides and a flat base (context 25038). The primary fill of cut 25038 was compact dark brown silty-sandy clay (context 25023) upon which a brick wall had been built (context 25022). Wall 25022 had a single course of bricks acting as a footing and six surviving courses of brickwork above the footing. The wall was 0.50m wide at the base, 0.32m wide above and was bonded with white mortar. Filling cut 25038 and sealing the wall footings was compact dark brown silty-sand (context 25045). A thin deposit of white mortar butting up against the south-western face of wall 25022 (context 25013/25042) almost certainly represents an associated floor surface. To the north-east of wall 25022 was a compact black cinder deposit (context 25033) which seems to have been a levelling deposit for a surface of compacted limestone (context 25032).
Floor 25013/25042 was sealed by a thick deposit of limestone mortar and grey sandy-silt (context 25012/25041), which was in turn below a layer of sandstone cobbles in dark brown sandy-silt (context 25011/25040). These deposits butted up against wall 25022, but it seems likely that this wall had gone out of use by this stage, as some of the facing bricks were missing. Contexts 25012/25041 and 25011/25040 probably represent deliberate levelling to raise the ground surface prior to the construction of a new wall foundation in another construction cut (contexts 25039 and 25021). Foundation 25021 was of brick bonded with white mortar, and theuppermost course jutted out by 0.04m. A thin deposit of yellow lime mortar (context 25010) was located to the south-west of wall 25021 and may represent an associated floor surface.
Sealing context 25032 was a deposit of brick and tile fragments in dark brown silt (context 25031), which seems to represent levelling prior to the construction of another wall (context 25030) within a construction cut (context 25044). The latter was a linear cut with vertical sides and a flat base, which contained brick wall 25030 bonded with white mortar. The wall survived to a height of 0.35m and was in excess of 0.54m wide. No associated surfaces were found.
Sealing context 25010, wall 25021 and wall 25022 was a thin deposit of dark brown sandy-silt (context 25009), which may represent a floor surface. Context 25009 was beneath compact orange sand (context 25008) which probably represents deliberate levelling for a floor or surface which no longer survives. Sealing wall 25022 and wall 25029 were two dumped deposits which consisted of charcoal and cobbles (context 25028) and compacted cinders (context 25029).
Context 25008 was truncated by a modern service trench (context 25007) which contained a ceramic pipe (context 25006) and backfills of cement and cobbles (context 25005) and compact orange brown sand (context 25004). Context 25004 was beneath yellow limestone hard-core which sealed the entire trench (context 25003). This was in turn beneath the tarmac surface of the present car park (context 25002) which was at 9.90m AOD.
Trench 33 was 3.80m x 1.60m in size and was excavated to a maximum depth of 1.50m. Context number 33000 was allocated to unstratified finds resulting from machining.
The earliest deposit excavated, which was in excess of 0.50m thick, consisted of mid-dark brown clay-silt with occasional tile and charcoal fragments (context 33020).
Context 33020 was sealed by a succession of thin surfaces, all of which extended
beyond the edges of excavation. The earliest of these consisted of two patches of
crushed mortar (context 33019 and 33015). Context 33019 was beneath mid-dark brown
clay-silt (context 33018), which was sealed by a cobble surface (context 33014).
Cut into 33018 was a steep sided linear square ended cut with a post-socket at the
north-western corner (contexts 33016 and 33017).
Figure 21. Trench 33 - west facing section
Sealing the entire trench was a deposit of tile and brick rubble in pale brown sandy-silt with 17th/18th century pottery (context 33002). This deposit was clearly demolition rubble, which raised and levelled the ground prior to building works. Context 33002 was beneath compacted mid-brown slightly clay-silt with 18th century pottery (context 33001), interpreted as levelling below a compacted white mortar surface (context 33012). Surface 33012 was sealed by dumps of mid grey-brown gritty silt with frequent flecks of mortar (context 33011) and tile rubble in grey-brown gritty-silt (context 33010). These dumps acted as the levelling for a brick floor (context 33008) bedded on a thin deposit of limestone fragments (context 33009). The brick floor was constructed from unbonded bricks 0.23m x 0.11m x 0.065m in size. Above the floor was a deposit of compacted crushed white mortar (context 33007) which probably represents the bedding for a floor that has not survived.
Context 33007 was truncated by a linear cut which extended the full length of the southern side of the trench (context 33006). This was 0.85m deep and in excess of 0.67m wide. The cut contained a modern concrete sewer (context 33005) and was filled with mid grey-brown gritty silt (context 33004). Sealing context 33004 was crushed limestone hard-core (context 33002), which was below the present car park tarmac surface (context 33013) at 9.68m AOD.
Early maps of the area in which the Group 8 trenches were situated suggests that it was largely open ground. John Speed's map of c.1610 shows the area as St Johns Grene, while Benedict Horsley's map of c.1694 show the area as Pond Garth. As late as 1822 the area was still largely undeveloped, consisting of gardens fronting onto Dundas Street with fields behind (Edward Baines' map of 1822). This pattern of open ground was clearly seen in both Trenches 25 and 33. In Trench 25 there were horticultural soils of medieval date (Trench 25 Phase 1) sealed by horticultural soils of post-medieval date into which drainage gullies had been cut (Trench 25 Phase 2). In Trench 33 similar horticultural soils were located, but these were undated (Trench 33 Phase 1). It is possible the undated features of Trench 33 Phase 2 are of post-medieval date. These consisted of thin surfaces of mortar and cobbles, all of which extended beyond the edges of excavation (contexts 33019, 33015, 33018 and 33014). Within the limited area of the trench it is difficult to interpret these deposits, but they may represent a cobble path or yard and associated levelling. The surfaces were cut by a linear feature and associated post hole, which may be a boundary ditch.
Land use in the area radically altered in the mid 19th century. New streets were created (Dundas Place and Brunswick Place) and terraced housing with associated yards was constructed fronting both these streets and Dundas Street. Abundant remains associated with this terraced housing were found in both Trench 25 (Phase 3) and Trench 33 (Phases 2 and 3).
In the case of Trench 25 the area was levelled (contexts 25014 and 25034) prior to the construction of a wall (contexts 25038, 25023, 25022 and 25045). Associated surfaces butted against both sides of the wall (contexts 25013/25042, 25033 and 25032).
These deposits were sealed by levelling deposits (contexts 25012/25041, 25011/25040 and 25031) prior to the construction of wall footings (contexts 25039/25021 and 25044/25030). The only associated floor surface for these walls was a thin deposit of yellow limestone mortar (context 25010) located to the south-west of wall 25021.
The southernmost of these walls (25021) was sealed by a thin deposit of dark brown sandy-silt (context 25009), which may represent a floor surface. Context 25009 was beneath a levelling deposit (context 25008). Sealing wall 25022 and wall 25029 were two dumped deposits (contexts 25028 and 25029).
Sealing the entire trench was a deposit of demolition rubble (context 33002) which was clearly levelling prior to building works in the area. A second levelling deposit (context 33001) acted as the bedding for a mortar floor (context 33012). This floor subsequently went out of use and was sealed by further levelling deposits (context 33011 and 33010) for a brick floor (context 33008) bedded on a thin deposit of limestone fragments (context 33009). A deposit of mortar above the brick floor (context 33007) probably represents the bedding for yet another floor that has not survived.
In the 1930s the area was cleared of housing and is shown as devoid of buildings on the 1937 Ordnance Survey map. Subsequently the area was developed for light industry. This phase equates to Trench 25 Phase 4 and Trench 33 Phase 4. Various modern service trench cuts and associated fills were located which were below the modern levelling and tarmac surface.
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