York Historic Environment Record

A geophysical survey was carried out by On-Site Archaeology Limited on land at Askham Bryan College, York, which revealed a number of potentially archaeological features. In Areas A, B and C, which covers an area of the college where development is to comprise the formation of hoofed stock enclosures, these features include traces of ridge and furrow field systems, which are broadly parallel with the existing (and historic) field boundaries on the site. In the northern part of Area A, a substantial rectangular anomaly may represent an earlier enclosure, or could be related to late 19th and early 20th century gravel quarrying in this area, shown on historic Ordnance Survey maps. In Areas B and C, linear anomalies E and H appear to represent soil filled ditches. The alignments of these features do not mirror either the ridge and furrow, or the historically attested field boundaries so they may indicate earlier phases of landscape division or trackways. Areas A and B also contain several localised responses which may represent archaeological features or small scale gravel extraction pits. The proposed development within this area of the college is to comprise the formation of enclosures, with limited impact upon below ground deposits. Localised impact will occur in the form of animal shelters. Consideration should be given to the placing of shelters to avoid the potential archaeological features identified by this survey. If development requiring groundworks is proposed then a programme of archaeological investigation should be carried out. The nature of such investigation will be related to the scale of impact but may involve evaluation trenching, strip and record excavation or watching brief. In Areas D and E the geophysical survey was carried out to provide archaeological information relating to the discovery of human remains during the excavation for a new silage clamp. In Area D no potentially archaeological features were identified. The silage clamp construction will also involve the excavation of a drainage swale, which will cross Area D. On the basis of the geophysical survey there is no reason to consider modifying the route or design of the swale. Excavation of the swale will be subject to an archaeological watching brief. Towards the western limit of Area E a potentially structural archaeological feature was identified. At present there are no development proposals that would impact upon this feature. However, if future invasive groundworks are proposed then these should be preceded by archaeological investigation to ascertain the date, form and function of this feature.