York Historic Environment Record

During the course of the First World War, Walmgate Stray, like many other public open spaces, was utilised by the army as a training area, providing soldiers with experience of digging trench lines and possibly of combat within them. Small lengths of zigzag trenches have also been identified to the south of Trench 4, and in the south-western corner of the Stray. These may have always been discontinuous features but it is also possible that they are the remains of larger trench systems which are no longer fully visible on the surface.

NMR Information

Full description
In 2004, English Heritage carried out an investigation and field survey at Level 3 standard of Walmgate Stray, as part of a national project to examine the heritage of England's urban commons (Event Record 1376159) (1). A report including a full textual description and analysis accompanied by maps, plans and photographs is available from the National Monuments Record, together with the rest of the project archive material (reference number SE 65 SW 500). (1)

Sources
1 Field Investigators Comments English Heritage: Urban Commons project: Walmgate Stray survey

Locations First World war practice trench.
UID 1403477 (SE 6145 5073)
UID 1403478 (SE 6154 5054)
UID 1403479 (SE 6156 5037)
UID 1403480 (SE 6154 5029)
UID 1403481 (SE 6167 5029)
UID 1403482 (SE 6157 5020)
UID 1403885 (SE 6157 5003)

NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.