York Historic Environment Record

Between the 7th of March and the 1st of April 2022 York Archaeology conducted a strip, map, excavation and sample investigation, at 27 St Helens Rd, Regency Mews. A watching brief phase was undertaken in November 2021 followed by program of Strip, Map and Sample in May 2022. The investigations involved stripping the site, mapping the observed features and then excavating representative sections and relationship slots across each feature. Following assessment and analysis the site was found to feature a series of ditches laid out in a grid pattern in the early Roman period respects the line of the nearby southern approach road to York. Pottery dates indicate the field system was in use and being maintained during the 2nd century before falling out of use in the 3rd century. Analysis of paleoenvironmental remains from a 2nd century well tentatively suggests that the local environment was one of damp open ground or grassland where the ditched enclosures were supplemented with hedgerows, and perhaps included small stands of trees. The presence of a large collection of 2nd century white slipware flagons in the fill of the well indicate this water source was probably being accessed by people occupying roadside buildings at the neighbouring 42–50 Tadcaster Road site, where vessels of this type were also found in large quantities. Following the Romano-British period there is no evidence to suggest that the site had been utilised in a particularly intensive manner. Several small and abraded medieval pottery sherds had found their way into the top of earlier features through post-depositional processes, but no features could definitively be assigned to that period. It is likely that the site has been subjected to agricultural activity from this time until being enclosed into gardens and sports grounds in the 20th century.