York Historic Environment Record

The works comprised the excavation of 8 trial trenches and the monitoring of a single test pit. The works were commissioned by Uniliving (Construction) Ltd, and conducted by Archaeological Services Durham University. There is a slight slope across the site from the south (18m OD) down to the north (15m OD): the western part of the site is around 1m lower (15m OD) than the central part, with this change of level defined by a brick wall. In the western part of the site (trenches 3 and 4), results from the evaluation trenches indicate that the area has been truncated by modern activity, and no archaeological resource has been identified. The existing ground surface is at around 15.1m OD, 0.9m lower than the central area of the site, and the trenches were excavated to a depth of 14.5m OD, with 0.6m of overburden overlying the natural subsoil. This indicates an overall level of truncation in this area of 1.5m. In the eastern part of the site (trench 2), results from the evaluation trenches found no deposits of archaeological significance. The existing ground surface is between 15.5 and 15.8m OD, and the trench was excavated to a depth of 14.9 to 15.2m OD with 0.6m of overburden overlying the natural subsoil. In the southern parts of the site (trenches 6, 7 and 8) there was a series of brick lined tanning pits. These survived at a level of 16.4m OD in trench 6, and 15.8 to 16.18mOD in trenches 7 and 8. The pits contained deposits up to 1m thick. In trench 6 a deposit [24] filling a probably pit or ditch over 1m deep survives that may be medieval or early post-medieval in date. This deposit contained wooden stakes and a plank preserved in anaerobic conditions, as well as medieval pottery and tile. In trench 7 further 18th and 19th century levelling deposits pre-dating the tannery were found. Overburden in this area was between 0.3 and 0.9m in trench 6 and 0.9 and 1.25m in trenches 7 and 8. In the central part of the site (trench 5) the evaluation trench contained a number of brick walls as well as stone chutes. These survived at a level of 15.5 to 15.85m OD. The structures were contaminated with diesel. These relate either to the 19th century tannery buildings or the later engineering works. Overburden in this area was 0.3m thick. In the northern part of the site (trench 1 and test pit) there was a feature over 1.6m deep which may have been an extraction pit similar to others dug in the area of Lawrence Street. A brick drain and brick wall were also revealed. All of these survived at a level of 14.5m OD. Overburden in this area was 0.6m thick. A small assemblage of largely post-medieval artefacts was found, consisting of pottery, bone, glass, CBM, textile and wooden artefacts. A single sherd of pottery and a fragment of tile were medieval in origin.