York Historic Environment Record

On-Site Archaeology was commissioned to carry out an archaeological evaluation by borehole survey in support of an application to erect a new bedroom extension to the existing Principal Hotel, York. The site close to the Roman colonia in an area of known Roman funerary activity. Previous investigations on the site of the hotel, dating back to its construction in the later 19th century, have recorded numerous Roman burials. The latest phase of archaeological investigation on the site comprised the excavation of two trenches within the proposed extension footprint in 2015. These trenches were of limited depth due to logistical constraints and did not record additional Roman burials. The borehole survey comprised the sinking of four boreholes within a current soft landscaped area on the northern edge of the proposed extension site, fronting Leeman Road. The area within which the boreholes were placed slopes steeply down from the hotel car park to the pavement level and contains numerous mature trees, together with live services. The placing of the boreholes was therefore determined by ensuring a safe working space. The boreholes were placed within and adjacent to the footprint of the proposed extension. Natural deposits were encountered in all four of the boreholes, at depths of 0.75m and 2.90m below ground level (BGL). However, the difference in depths is predominantly due to the sloping topography and when the actual height relative to Ordnance Datum is taken into consideration, the level of natural is relatively consistent (between 10.50m AOD and 10.85m AOD). In three of the boreholes the natural was overlain by similar, apparently archaeological deposits of mid brown clay silt. These deposits contained occasional fragments of bone (the only identifiable fragments were clearly not human) and occasional Roman and medieval pottery. There was no evidence that this deposit represented 19th century landscaping associated with the construction of the hotel, or the adjacent Leeman Road and it is therefore considered to be of archaeological origin. The latest deposit recorded in all of the boreholes was the thick recent garden soil, which was between 0.75m and 1.50m thick.