York Historic Environment Record

Between the 27th July and the 13th August 2021 York Archaeological Trust conducted a watching brief and excavated a series of test pits at Flood Cell B12 Museum Gardens. The work was undertaken for BAM on behalf of the Environment Agency as part of the Flood Alleviation Scheme for York. The work involved the monitoring of ground reduction for the raising of the existing flood bank within the Museum Gardens and the excavation of six test pits to investigate exposed structures. The ground works exposed two structures that are thought to be associated with St Mary’s abbey: a northern rectangular structure that was partially exposed and a heavily robbed-out structure to the south. These were covered by demolition deposits dated to between the 16th and 19th centuries. A rubble limestone wall was also found on the western side of the works, again probably part of the abbey, and a possible internal floor surface was uncovered within the northern structure. The remains of a later walled structure were uncovered, possibly associated with the 19th-century gardens.