York Archaeological Trust
All of the probe-hole cores reached natural deposits but these were encountered at various depths across the site; PH1 - 6.1m AOD, PH2 - 4.14m AOD; PH3 - 4.46m AOD; PH5 - 7.08M AOD; PH8 -8.43m AOD; PH9 - 6.02m AOD; PH10 - 6.52m AOD; PH11 - 8.32m AOD; and PH12 - 8.81m to 9.01m AOD. This suggests a general trend from fairly shallow archaeological deposits on Dundas Street towards deeper, more clearly stratified archaeological deposits to the south-west close to Hungate and around the former petrol station on The Stonebow. The depth of deposits in this area suggests that it was a natural valley close to the River Foss in the prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Scandinavian periods whereas the Dundas Street area formed a natural bank of higher ground.
The valley was gradually filled over a long period of time, slowly in the Roman period, (the top of deposits of this date possibly being 8.8m AOD in PH1; 5.19m AOD in PH2; 5.61m AOD in PH3 and 7.34m AOD in PH10, and more rapidly in the Anglo-Scandinavian period with the rapid accumulation of massive amounts of organic material (PH1- 9.5m AOD; PH2 - 8.29m AOD; PH3 - 8.47m AOD; PH9 - 7.85m AOD; and PH10 - 7.79m AOD).
Medieval occupation deposits of especial significance were located in probe-hole 10 where 1.7m of stratified occupation deposits was recorded. Occupation type deposits were also located in PH1, PH2, PH3, PH9, and possibly in PH11.
The top of significant archaeological deposits was located at 10.0m AOD in PH1; 9.44m AOD in PH2; 9.81m AOD in PH3; 10.20m AOD in PH5 (or 8.65m AOD if the area was cellared); 9.40m AOD in PH8; 9.69m AOD in PH9; 9.49m AOD in PH10; 9.68m in PH11 and 9.72m AOD in PH 12.
The probe-holes have shown that deep well stratified and waterlogged archaeological deposits survive beneath more modern layers over most of the area surveyed.
It would appear that Dundas Street is located on a north-west to south-east aligned natural ridge or spur of higher ground of glacial origin and that here the archaeological deposits are shallower. Very well stratified occupation deposits of medieval date also survive on the Hungate street frontage to a considerable depth. Modern terracing activity may have truncated the medieval and post-medieval occupation deposits in the area of the former petrol station and towards the Dundas Street end of the private car-park. A post-medieval or modern cellar may also have removed deposits on the Dundas Street frontage under the car repair workshop.