York Historic Environment Record

Wessex Archaeology were commissioned by Knight Frank LLP on behalf of The Retreat, York, to prepare an archaeological desk based assessment of land within the grounds of The Retreat centred on NGR 461767 450973. The proposed development includes the demolition and replacement of a current accommodation block and the creation of a day-care therapy facility within a 19th century walled garden. The proposed development will not directly impact any designated heritage assets but it construction will directly impact on an undesignated heritage and has the potential to result in the damage to, or loss of, buried undesignated archaeological features. This would in turn result in a total or partial loss of significance of these heritage assets. This adverse effect would be permanent and irreversible in nature. The Site appears to have been part of an important Anglo-Saxon landscape with one definite, and another likely, burial mounds/cemeteries dating to this period within 400m of the Site. This is coupled with the location of a 6th century settlement also within 400m of the Site. As such it is considered that there the potential of encountering these remains during groundworks. There is also a high likelihood of impacting on the extant remains of 19th century gardening and leisure buildings. Additionally, there is a medium likelihood of disturbing features relating to medieval and post-medieval agriculture. There has been some disturbance across the Site caused by the construction of a 1960s accommodation block and the removal of the orangery superstructure, and the truncation of some of the supporting walls within the walled garden. Earlier archaeological remains are likely to have been disturbed during the construction of the orangery, rooting cause by trees and other landscaping which may have taken place. The proposed development within the walled garden is unlikely to affect the historic landscape character or the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, given the 19th century walls are to be retained with the new development to be constructed inside. The overriding character of the area is defined by the institutional setting provided by the Retreat. It is recommended that an English Heritage Level Two building recording survey be undertaken on the walled garden and the surviving remains of the orangery prior to development. Evaluation trenching is also recommended in order to determine whether any further archaeological remains are present within the Site, the scale of which is to be agreed through consultation with the statutory authorities. It is recommended this work take place following the demolition of the 1960s accommodation block. As demolition is not feasible at the pre-application stage, it is recommended that the evaluation is undertaken as a condition of planning.