York Historic Environment Record

In May 2000 York Archaeological Trust excavated two trenches to the rear of 90 The Mount, York in order to evaluate the archaeology of the area in advance of a proposed new development. A bore-hole survey was also undertaken as part of the evaluation. The results of these two phases of work are summarised here. Analysis of the borehole logs indicated a considerable depth of deposits overlying natural, much of it of potential archaeological significance. The two trenches showed that below modern activity lay medieval, and probably post-medieval, agricultural deposits, and, in Trench 2, two phases of ditch. Both ditches were of a size greater than needed to mark boundaries or to be used for drainage and this, coupled with their location may suggest a defensive function, possibly protecting the higher ground to the east. Although no definite Anglian occupation was identified the quantity of pottery that could be assigned to the period clearly indicates activity in the vicinity, possibly associated with the known cemetery at the Mount School. No definite Roman deposits were identified in either of the trenches but the quantity of pottery recovered demonstrates considerable, if not intense, activity of the period on the site and the evidence of the boreholes suggests that up to 1.5m of Roman deposits remain intact on the site. The nature of this activity is uncertain but the lack of human bone and evidence from previous work in the area suggests that the area may have been a focus of extra-mural industrial activity. NMR Microfilm Index PRN: 7776. NMR sources: York Archaeological Trust Evans, D.T./2000/90 The Mount, York, evaluation. York Archaeological Trust annual report 15,60,63 29/2000-2001