York Historic Environment Record

Parent record for deposit model data. NMR data: Museum Acc code: 1989.7 SAM number: N YORKS 203 RCHME microfilm PRN: 2928 Medieval deposits revealed were interpreted as occupation levels associated with York Castle. Interim : bulletin of the York Archaeological Trust 14.2/1989/17-20 Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology XXXIV/1990/221 Post-medieval archaeology : the journal of the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology 24/1990/184 York Archaeological Trust annual report /1989-1990/24 From Interim: Two small trenches excavated against the exterior face of the front (north-east) wall of the Courts, one each side of the main entrance. The intention was to determine the nature and depth of the building’s foundations and carefully record any surviving archaeological material encountered. The two trenches told a similar story. The courts are sat upon the remains of York Castle and a Roman inhumation cemetery. Beneath paving slabs attempts to underpin and stabilise foundations were noted. Based on the stratigraphic and pottery dating evidence, it is suggested that most, if not all, of ‘the layers above c.12.2m OD, represent mid 19th century dumping to form the podium in front of the Courts. The layers immediately beneath the ‘podium’ dumps did not have to be excavated in order to reach the bottom of the Courts wall; where a deeper area could be investigated a rubble layer was noted which increased in steepness of slope to the south. Thick clay dumps suggest that a backfill and subsidence in a large feature beneath them. Pottery found in these layers indicates that they date to the Anglo-Norman period (c.1050-1200).