York Historic Environment Record

During September 1995, York Archaeological Trust carried out the first archaeological excavation in the undercroft. The excavation was designed to investigate earlier floor levels in the undercroft, perhaps even to determine the state and nature of the original floor. The trench measured 2.0m square, and was to be a maximum of 1.2m deep. The trench in the undercroft revealed the original hall floor, whilst one against the external face of the south-west undercroft wall revealed that the medieval building rested on the remains of a Norman hall of c.1100. A particularly spectacular object recovered during excavations at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall was a medieval annular gold brooch. Only 20mm in diameter, the brooch has lost its pm, which would have been attached at the constriction seen to one side, and is inscribed IH SUS NAZ in Lombardic lettering on one face. The brooch was recovered from the base of a 17th century floor in the undercroft of the Hall, but probably dates from the 14th century (INTERIM 1995). NMR Microfilm Index PRN: 2489. Work included a watching brief and geophysical survey (EHGSDB Visit No: 1816). Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology 301 41/1997 CBA Forum : the annual newsletter of CBA Group 4 29-30 1996 GeoQuest Associates Grove R/1995/Geophysical survey at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York. York Archaeological Trust [assessment & evaluation reports] YAT/1995/The Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York. 1996 Evaluation Report Number 1 (Accession Code: YORMA: 1995.1) York Archaeological Trust Hunter-Mann K/1997/The Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York: Chapel and Undercroft building report/Report 1997/31. York Archaeological Trust 1996/ The Merchant |Adventurers Hall, York Phase 2/ Evaluation Report 11/ YORMA 1995.1 York Archaeological Trust Hunter-Mann K & Marwood R/ 1996/ Archaeological Watching Brief at Merchant Adventurers Hall, Fossgate, York/ YORMA 1995.1