York Historic Environment Record

The information from boreholes and the test pits is broadly comparable and gives a good indication of the deposits across the site. Natural geological deposits within the boreholes and test pits consisted of a firm brown clay or a laminated clay sand that give an indication of the former topography of the site. There appears to have been an area of high ground on the southern and eastern edges of the site with natural clays at 5.5m BGL rising to the south of this with natural clay at an average of between 3-4m BGL, reaching its shallowest depth at only c. 2m BGL. The predominate trend though is for the natural deposits to slope down sharply to the northern and eastern sides of the site. The information gained may indicate the position of the edge of the Fish Pool in this area outside the city wall close to the Red Tower. The earliest deposits exposed within the boreholes and the test pits were associated with waterlain environments and were deeper on the eastern and northern sides of the site, and were thought to be most likely associated with the medieval King's Fish Pool. There was also evidence for timber structures on the edge of the King's Fish Pool. In Test Pit 14 there was also at least one well-preserved timber stake, but in Test Pit 15 there were three, evenly spaced stakes that may have formed part of a jefty or structure. Dean G & Evans D/2005/The Former Foss Islands Filling Station, Foss Islands Road, York: a report on an archaeological watching brief.