York Historic Environment Record

The borehole evaluation encountered an extensive sequence of archaeology extending to depths close to 8m Below Ground Level (BGL). From approximately 4m BGL water logging has provided ideal conditions for the preservation of organic material. The water logged deposits appear largely to date to the Roman period; they include accumulations of silts and clays which likely derive from occupational activities, and there is also evidence for the burning of large quantities of cereal grain which has been extremely well preserved. In addition, rammed cobble surfaces encountered in two of the boreholes are also to thought to be Roman in date. From the top of Roman deposits, at around 4m BGL and extending to approximately 2m BGL, a range of features and deposits potentially dating from the post-Roman through to the medieval period was observed. Intrusive medieval features, such as pits, were observed cutting down through earlier levels of deposition to depths close to 6m BGL, which raises the likelihood that environmental evidence from this period has also been well preserved. Post-medieval activity was identified from 2.5m BGL to close to 1.5m BGL. It included evidence for structures and the accumulation of garden type soils. Lastly a thick layer of modern makeup uand levelling has above it the existing car park surface.