York Historic Environment Record

At the end of September 1938 Air Raid Precaution trenches were excavated within the precincts of York Castle. The 'Eye' is a circular lawn situated at the base of Clifford's Tower between the Assize Courts and the York Castle Museum. Trenches were in two lines running from north-west-south-east. Each consisted of four trenches at right angles to the main alignment. In the second trench from the west, in the southern most line, a carved bone trial piece was discovered at a depth of 4ft (1.2m) in disturbed ground. The bone fragment was 8.8 in long with the surface covered with carving in sunken relief. The designs carved on the bone were though to suggest a date of late 9th-10th century. The trial piece is deposited with the British Museum (Cat No. 1940,0202.1)