York Historic Environment Record

An archaeological evaluation was carried out by On-Site Archaeology Ltd in advance of the proposed re-development of the site of the Former Civil Service Club and adjacent agricultural land to the north of Boroughbridge Road, York, between April and June 2015. The investigation comprised of 30 evaluation trenches (Trenches 1 to 30) evenly distributed across the area of investigation but also orientated to target anomalies detected during a previous geophysical survey of the area. Evidence for archaeological activity was revealed across the whole area of investigation. The most significant activity centred around Trenches 15, 16 and 17 where a number of large field boundary ditches were excavated that contained relatively unabraded Romano-British or medieval pottery sherds. Further probable Romano-British ditches were identified within Trenches 11, 18, 21, 23 and 30 indicating the extent of activity to the west and east. Romano-British artefacts included amphorae, Samian ware, mortaria and glass probably indicative of settlement nearby, possibly a farmstead. Although no actual structural evidence was uncovered, the volume of artefacts within these features and the overlying subsoil in this area suggests that important Romano-British archaeological remains are present either within, or just outside of, the area of this proposed development. The Romano-British pottery assemblage covers a wide date range, possibly beginning in the pre-Roman Iron Age, and extending throughout the Roman period to the 3rd and potentially into the 4th century AD. To the southwest, the ground was disturbed by the construction and demolition of the former Civil Service Club while in the area of the agricultural land to the north and east of the site the archaeology was characterised by post-medieval plough furrows with only one identified small prehistoric pit/cremation. Within the western corner of the site a cluster of post-medieval/early modern discrete features were identified. Several of the trenches only contained medieval to post-medieval plough furrows. A broad band of deep subsoil was recorded that appeared to traverse southwest to northeast through the site possibly indicating the presence of a former palaeo-channel.