York Historic Environment Record

NMR sources: York Archaeological Trust annual report /1980-1981/APPENDIX I York Archaeological Trust annual report /1981-1982/APPENDIX I Yorkshire Philosophical Society : annual reports /1980/30,49 Museum code given is 1980.39 The Archaeology of York, Fascicule 6/1. Roman warehouses and other riverside structures in Coney Street, p5-21 YAT.1980.39 Evidence for Roman storage sheds/warehouses for the nearby garrison was discovered. Evidence for a potential wharf or landing place was also discovered close to Coney Street. A medieval or early post-medieval riverside building and associated slipway were recorded at 25 Coney Street. Roman levels were observed in contractor's trenches. NOTE the primary source has not been accessed to compile this record - details for 25 Coney St need checking Information from INTERIM 7/4 by David Brinklow: In Roman times this area was between the south-western defences of the legionary fortress and the river and presumably contained the road which passed along this way on its route, eventually, from Throlam and Brough in the south toward Catterick to the north. Little is known of the character of any Roman buildings in this area although they might echo the granaries found at 39-41 Coney Street (late 70s) and relate to the function of the river as a trade route. The excavation on the W.H. Smith site (no 39) had shown that the eastern bank of the river Ouse was subject to constant extension and that the present river wall marks the maximum encroachment into the river which was not reached until the 18th or even 19th century. Preliminary investigation of the site of 23-31 Coney Street was confined to a 1m wide exploratory trench stretching the length of the garden of number 25, some 32 metres in all. As had been expected from our W.H. Smith observations, the riverward end of the site was found to consist entirely of dumped levels of post-medieval date. These were seen at a depth of up to 2 metres in the excavation and at up to 7 metres in a river-side borehole, demonstrating once again that this was reclaimed land. This proved to be the case for the 20 metres of the site nearest the river, perhaps suggesting that the medieval and post-medieval river banks in this area had been gently sloping ones with occasional quays or wharves stretching out into the water but without the vertical stone river wall that we see today. The eastern 12 metres of trial trench revealed the well preserved remains of a substantial structure of large well-mortared limestone blocks stepping down the slope towards the river. Contemporary with it on its southern side were at least two phases of what appeared to be a cobble slipway sloping fairly steeply towards the water. Needless to say, little could be made of the plan of this structure in a 1 metre wide trench, although it was on the same alignment as the modern buildings and a possible return wall running north was recorded at the river end. Little dating material was retrieved from these features but they should probably be seen as 16th century, seemingly the last time that properties in this area were functionally related to the river as well as to Coney Street. Excavation was not continued below these late medieval-early post-medieval features. However, such is the preservation of these levels that it seems likely that earlier water-front buildings may exist in a well preserved state to the rear of the present Coney Street buildings. The cellars of these shops have removed all evidence of post-Roman occupation on the street front itself, but although not fully investigated, a number of contractors’ trial holes which cut into the cellar floors revealed Roman levels as yet largely undisturbed. Despite the limited nature of the current excavations, enough has been found to demonstrate the survival of important riverside remains in this central area.