The medieval period saw major changes in the area caused by the damming of the Foss to create the King's Fishpool and the Carmelite Friars becoming dominant landowners in the area. From this period several of the streets that are depicted in later maps are documented, which makes possible some reconstruction of the layout of the area in the medieval period.
'In the late twelfth century the area between St Saviourgate and the Foss was known as 'the Marsh', but included three parish churches. Presumably by that time the marshy conditions due to an earlier loop of the Foss were already becoming a memory.
Excavations to the west have shown that a thick peaty deposit still exists, waterlogged even now to within a few feet of the surface, preserving wooden pile foundations, planking buildings, wattle fences, leather and much other organic debris, with timber-lined wells penetrating deeper through post-Roman flood deposits. The principal street in this area before the formation of the modern Stonebow, was Hungate' (RCHM, 1981, xxxiv).
The street of Hungate is attested from the twelfth century, occurring as Hundegat in Mersch in a quarter of 1161 X 1184 (EYC I, 231, Palliser, 1978, 11). Mersch, indicates a marsh, referring to areas to the east of the site. The name of the street is derived from the Old English hund or Old Norse hundr, meaning dog or hound, and gata meaning street. Benson states that this name is derived from the keeping of the King's hounds in the area, but Raine (1955, 62) disputes this as an explanation created to fit the name. More likely, it seems, the name would derive from the large numbers of stray dogs in the area attracted by the meat dumped by butchers from the Shambles. Dogs are documented as a problem in the area until the eighteenth century.
Stonebow Lane, the predecessor of Stonebow, occurs in documents as early as 1276 (YML L2 (1) pt4 f44v). The name comes from the Old English stan-boga, or Old Norse stein-bogi meaning 'stone arch'. The origins of this name are unclear, referring presumably to an architectural feature which no longer survives. Stonebow Lane has also been equated with White Friars Lane, documented from the fifteenth century, and referring to the Carmelite Friars. This lane, referred to in a late eighteenth century document as 'Stanebowelane otherwise called White Freers Lane' (PRO2/ELIZ/M10/59). Raine (1955, 62) examined several documents concerning the street and sees the two lanes as distinct in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Havergate, later known as Haver Lane, is recorded as early as 1170-1184 (EYC I, 232, Raine, 1955, 84) and connected Hungate with Peasholme Green. Pond or Pound Lane was later created, as more of the marsh to the east was drained, and named after the King's Fishpond or Fishpool nearby.
The Domesday Book records the existence of the King's Fishpool in 1086, formed by the damming of the River Foss some twenty years previously in order to create a maintainable moat for the Castle. This would have affected the Hungate site dramatically with the flooding of Carmelite Street and presumably of the area to the north.
Three landing places are known on the King's Fishpool: at Layerthorpe Bridge (Y.C.Ch.Rolls, 1433-5), St Margaret's Landing, below St Margaret's Church (YCFB Roll 1445) and at the Carmelite Friary on Hungate.
Much cleaning was required to keep the Fishpool free from debris, and many of the archaeological excavations in the area record thick deposits of material, interpreted as rubbish dumped in the water. Through the centuries the Fishpool dried and silted up. In 1645, during the siege of York by the Parliamentarians, their plan was to cross into York over the drying pool (Raine, 1955, 15).
Maison Dieu of John de Howme, White Friars Lane
The ancient parish bounds of St Saviours church are now lost, but Raine quotes Skaife's transcription and believes it to be reliable, although the date of 1362 is disputed by a large number of discrepancies, and he places the language of the document in the mid-fifteenth century;
'furst that from olde Yorke, and so goynge forth the street unto one layne called Spenlayne, which layne ledyth from the strete of seynt saveyorgayt unto a common sewer bakwarde commynge from Gooderomgayt and one other sewer commynge in to it, lyenge on the north side of seynt saveyorgayt aforesaid and boundynge unto saynt andrewgayt: and from thence unto the south side of one Maysyndeew standynge in seynt Andrew parishe aforesaide to seynt Antons and seynt Antons is of seynt Saveyors parishe; and from thence goynge over Peasholme grene unto one layne yenge north from the Holy Priests; and so goynge of the Northe side of one house called Gramary Hall; and so on furth to Hungayt, and from Hungayt aforesaid unto the lady Freers, which freers are of the sayde parishe of Saynt saveours with their liberties, and then to oure ladyes chapel belonging to the sayd freers, and then to one masyndew standynge of the north syed of one layn called Standbowlayne, which masyndew haythe both men and women in the same and is of two parishyngs, the men is of Crux churche parishe and the women is of the parishe of Seynt Saveours aforesaid, and so from the sayde Masyndew unto one house belonginge to Crux church' (Raine, 1955, 79).
Despite the dumping of meat and dung that is recorded in the area, many documents mention gardens, orchards and the residences of notable individuals, indicating that Hungate was an important area during the medieval period. Leases of 1421 and 1427 describe a garden in the possession of William Savage (YCA B/Y 33b).
William Bowes is known to have lived in or near the area. He was a Member of Parliament of York and Lord Mayor 1417-1428. His great-grandson, Martin Bowes, was lord Mayor of London in the mid-sixteenth century, and is recorded to have lived in the Black Swan. Richard Russell, brought up in Durham, came to York and made his fortune. He chose to construct his dwelling place amongst the orchards in Hungate, and his will, dated 1435, records that he wanted to be buried in St John the Baptist church. During his life he was Sheriff of York (1412) and Lord Mayor twice, in 1421 and 1430 (Raine, 1955, 83).
John Thirsk, Lord Mayor 1442-1462 was also Mayor of the Staples of Calais, and is known to have been buried in the church of St John the Baptist. A record survives of obituaries for him in 1476 (YCA B1/2) and the leasing of his tenement is recorded in 1477 (YCA B1/63b). A deed of September 3, 1499 describes a garden with an embankment, described as 'Wortldy Garth' held by John Stokesley (YCA B8/62)
During the medieval period, Hungate was the primary site for the dumping of rubbish in the area. In 1409, parishioners of St John the Baptist, Hungate, reported that the area was a 'horrible refuse shoot' for butchers in the Shambles. The unsold offal and meat created such a vile smell, and attracted so many dogs and birds, that it become difficult for the services in the church to be carried out. In 1524 Hungate was appointed an official dumping ground (Raine, 1955, 81), and an order of 1573 stated that anyone dumping dung against the wall of the friary should pay 12d per load (YCR, VII, 74; Raine, 1955, 81). In 1589, however, it became too much and it was agreed 'that for the decent and clenelie kepinge of one streete called Hungate beinge a common and usual streete for citizens to pass throrowe...henceforth no manner of person or persons whatsoever shall lay or cast any...dung, myer, filth, sweepings or any other thing in Hungate...or in one other streete called Haver lane' (YCHB XXX, 167b; Raine, 1955, 81).
Similar orders were issued in later years, and attempts were made in the sixteenth century to clear up. In 1691, a common dunghill near Shoemakers Hall is recorded to have been enclosed with a wall (Beckwith Chronicle, YML). Complaints continued, however, into the seventeenth century, when parishioners recorded dogs depositing bones in their graveyard. This dumping would have resulted in considerable land reclamation from the Fishpool, and is attested by the archaeological deposits recovered nearby in boreholes and trenches at Carmelite Street (Hunter-Mann, 1991, 6) and Palmer Lane.
See also: Cordwainer's Hall
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Medieval Artefacts from the Telephone Exchange Excavations. Click a thumbnail for larger image & details. |
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