York Historic Environment Record

A watching brief was undertaken at the junction of Tanner Street and Tanner Row by GF Willmot during the enlargement of the Brewers' Arms in 1961. The main discovery was part of a Roman road, presumably RCHME Road 10. It was aligned south-west/north-east and was at least 28' (9.2m) wide; only the south-east edge was not observed. The length of the road revealed is uncertain as it was primarily recorded in section, but it could have been up to 10m. Five road surface were recorded, although it is possible earlier surfacing lay below the depth of the groundworks. The lowest observed surface was at about 7.0mOD and overlay soil and clay deposits (not necessarily natural); later surfaces were bedded on rammed gravel and clay, rammed gravel, dark soil, and earth and cobbles, the uppermost lying at about 8.8mOD. The second to fourth had sloping north-west edges, the final surface had been truncated to the north-west by a pit. Above the latest road surface was a black clay, which was cut by a pit and itself overlain by a hearth, suggesting abandonment of the road. These features were sealed by 'dark earth'. A deposit of 'river sand' was recorded 2'6" (0.75m) above the road towards the north-east end of the site, but it was not recorded on the section and this interpretation must be viewed with caution. Finds associated with the watching brief are an Anglian/Anglo-Scandinavian strap end with silver niello decoration in the form of a human figure (1961.6.1) and a grey ware (probably Crambeck ware, mid 3rd century or later) cheese press fragment, apparently found beneath the Roman road; this pot was apparently relabelled YORYM:2010.433. An unstratified coin of Alexander Severus could be the unrecorded accession 1961.6.2. If the cheese press was found beneath the (earliest recorded) road surface, it is possible that the observed road sequence dates to the later 3rd century and later, with earlier road surfaces at a greater depth. The strap end could have been recovered from the 'dark earth' above the road, but this suggestion is speculative. Uncertain as to where this information above came from. NMR info: RCHME microfilm PRN: 3377. (Sketch section). NMR sources: The journal of Roman studies York Office has vols. 58-60 (1969-1970) Society for Promotion of Roman Studies 166-7 1961/52