York Historic Environment Record

The trial trenching evaluation established that the site has very limited potential for prehistoric, Roman, medieval and early post-medieval archaeological remains and palaeoenvironmental remains in general. No deposits of proven prehistoric or Roman date were recorded although dump deposits in Trench 5 produced cultural material of Roman date, this probably residual material derived from Roman occupation deposits in the vicinity, but imported onto the site for ground raising purposes in the post-medieval industrial era. Similarly, no deposits of proven medieval or early post-medieval date were recorded, although again later dump deposits in Trench 5 produced cultural material of these eras. The evaluation determined that historically significant elements of York’s railway heritage survive to an exceptional degree as below-ground archaeological remains at the site. Trenches 4 and 7 revealed the exceptionally well-preserved structural remains of Roundhouses 2 and 3. Trench 7 also contained the less well-preserved remains of Roundhouse 1.Trench 2 contained the less well-preserved remains of the 1841 Engine Shed, this the earliest historic structure to be located by the evaluation. The remains in Trenches 2, 4 and 7 are the most significant to be recorded at the site. Trench 3 recorded evidence of probable mid-19th century drainage, including channel revetting, and ground consolidation, likely ahead of the usage of the site for the railway and exposed the well-preserved remains of an engine shed built in the southern part of the site between 1892 and 1909.