York Historic Environment Record

In accordance with grant of SMC for repair works an archaeological watching brief was maintained during the dismantling of the boundary wall between 20 Ogleforth and the garden of houses on Chapter House Street, between May and August 2010. The watching briefs revealed an unexpectedly complicated structural history from even comparatively slight excavations. There were suggestions that the wall here may once have been more substantial, possibly performing a different function from that seen today. The original wall line seems to have been perforated by an opening, which was itself rebuilt at least once. By 1850 this was performing a role within a now lost formal garden. Such a function appears to have ended by 1890. It did not prove necessary to relay the foundations of the wall and so excavations were limited in scope. This serves to emphasise the value of further observations should the area be disturbed again in future.