York Historic Environment Record

This report presents the results of an archaeological desk-based assessment, which was conducted in advance of a proposed development at the York Central site, York. The assessment comprised a search of pertinent documentary and cartographic records, and a field visit. The works were commissioned by Carl Bro Group Ltd., and conducted in accordance with a project design provided by provided by Archaeological Services. This design accommodated the requirements of the York City Council Archaeologist. There are five statutorily protected buildings within the study site, and a further four within the vicinity. Several of the other buildings, in particular the remaining structures at the Queen Street portion of the site, are of considerable historical interest. The structures on site all date from the 19th and 20th centuries. There is evidence to suggest that the study area was the focus of significant activity during the prehistoric era. During the Romano-British period much of the area was part of an extensive Roman cemetery. Two Roman roads are believed to have traversed the study area. The study area was utilised as agricultural land during the medieval and early post-medieval periods. The area was one of the national centres of the railway network during the late post-medieval and modern periods, and significant remains relating to the history of the railways exist within the site. The proposed development has the potential to impact upon the archaeological resource through the construction of foundations and associated services, access roads or bridges, landscaping of the site area, and also to cause a visual impact on the nearby ancient core of the City of York. Recommendations It is recommended that the proposed intrusive site investigation works are subject to an archaeological watching brief, to monitor these excavations and to determine the comparative depths of imported ground, surviving subsoils, and natural deposits across the study area. It is recommended that a series of trial trenches be excavated across the eastern and central portions of the site in order to establish the nature and extent of any archaeological resource present, the degree to which these deposits may have been affected by previous development on the site, and the extent to which these remains may be affected by the proposed development. These trenches will enable informed decisions to be made regarding mitigation strategies prior to further development. Furthermore, it is recommended that the surviving buildings relating to the railway works on the site be subject to a scheme of standing building recording prior to any redevelopment. The majority of structures within the study area may be recorded at level one of the RCHME guidelines (1996). It is recommended that the buildings of the Queen Street area of the site are recorded at a minimum of level 2, due the importance that these structures have in relation to the early history of the nation’s railways.