York Historic Environment Record

During February 2000 MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd undertook an Archaeological Watching Brief during development work at 21 Micklegate York, centred at SE 6008 5160. A condition that the archaeological work should take place was applied by the City of York Council, to cover the ground works carried out within the interior of the building. The work involved the observation for archaeological remains, during the reduction of the floor surface within the premises of 21 Micklegate. A fairly complex sequence of archaeological features and deposits were identified during the watching brief although the northrn end of the building was sealed by a layer of demolition material up to 0.4m deep. The raised area of archaeology at the northem end of Area A identified floor surfaces and pits of a medieval and early post-medieval date. The wall foundations and other structures within Area A suggested the Fifteenth century timber framed building had succeeded an earlier building which stood in a sirnilar position. The axis of the earlier building was aligned slightly north-west to south east, rather than the north south aligmnent of the existing building. Parts of the existing building date from the fifteenth to seventeenth century, whilst the frontage onto Nficklegate is nineteenth century. The partition walls within Area B appeared to be respect the alignment of the existing building but were sealed below later deposits probably associated with demolition and levefling. These walls may be associated with the wing which was added behind number 21 Micklegate around 1600 (RCHM 1972). The presence of the cobbled surface and well suggests the southern end of Area B lay outside the building, probably in a yarded area to the rear. The dark organic deposit, below the cobbled surface, which contained preserved wood fragments and a large wooden post identified a continuation of archaeological deposits below the formation level. Similar dark humic deposits containing preserved wood and wicker work were present at the Queens Hotel Site (YAT 1990) and were Anglo- Scandinavian in date. Natural material was not identified in any of the areas disturbed. The majority of the finds recovered below the demolition and levelling deposits were medieval and early post-medieval in date, with no evidence of earlier material. The abundance of animal bone in the form of the sheep shin bones recovered from the large pit in Area A suggests possible tanning activity on within close vicinity of the site.