Blue Bridge Lane
&
Fishergate House
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The next phase of activity at the site is dated from the late 7th century to the mid-9th century principally by coins, and suggests a hiatus in land-use from the mid-3rd century of over 400 years. Evidence for activity takes the form of two main pit groups: one associated with a tentatively identified structure, three double-pit groups and scattered features located in smaller interventions (Figure 7). The activity is situated primarily at Blue Bridge Lane, where a total of thirty-one features of this date have been identified. A single pit, F64F, was defined and excavated close to the northern boundary of Fishergate House; no activity of this type and date, not even residual pottery, was encountered south of F64F. The convoluted fill systems of the pits were carefully excavated and subject to rigorous sieving and environmental sampling regimes. This was rewarded with a large material assemblage including animal bone, craft-working and occupation debris. The fill systems and the contents of the features are discussed below as one phase, since dating evidence was insufficient to phase the pits more precisely and stratigraphic relationships were rare, although there were instances where a sequence was suggested.
The incidence of intrusive pottery within features of this date was high; in several features, multiple sherds of late medieval date were recovered from deposits which had otherwise been considered to be Anglian. Analysis of the deposits containing intrusive material demonstrated that the intrusion had most commonly been the result of later features and deposits cutting, overlying and truncating Anglian features. In addition, the accumulation of deposits within features, along with the level of internal deposit subsidence within feature fill-systems, meant that even the stratigraphically earliest fills were exposed in plan at the surface, and subsiding features had 'swallowed' later deposits.
Figure 7. Location of Period 3 features (Interactive SVG image)
Pit group 1
This group consisted of a cluster of five pits located towards the eastern end of Intervention 15, and included a large cess pit, F458B, and three smaller pits and postholes, F351B, F273B F359B, F387B, F501B, F502B, F522B and F557B (Figure 8). F557B was identified during a watching brief in advance of ground beam construction, was exposed in section and, while only Roman pottery and animal bones were recovered during excavation, the fill and backfill system is reminiscent of the Anglian features. Accordingly, the feature has been allocated to Period 3.
Figure 8. Pit group 1, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
F458B
This feature was defined as a large truncated sub-circular cesspit measuring 3.10m x 2.50m x 0.80m (Plate 22). The pit was filled with interleaving deposits and dumps of brown and grey clayey-silts (C1969B, C1973B and C1974B, C2030B to C2032B, 2041B, C2052B, C2055B to C2057B), with a least one episode of collapse from the surrounding subsoil suggesting the feature had been left open for some time (C2056B and C2057B) (Figure 9, Plate 23). The appearance of these fills was suggestive of cess, and environmental assessment found C1973B to contain green coloured, possibly faecal, concretions (Appendix G). As well as the primary cess deposits, other deposits contained animal bone and evidence for craft-working in the form of occasional hammerscale and slag (Appendix H), and three fragments of bone-working waste including split rib fragments (Appendix I). In addition, a fragmentary bone pin and a fragment of calcined antler knife handle with incised line decoration were also recovered. Oblique evidence for glass-working has been tentatively identified in the form of a tiny spacer bead and a fragment of Roman glass bangle; the former may have been produced at the site and the latter may have arrived at the site for re-working (Appendix J). The feature has been allocated to this phase since it contained mainly residual Roman ceramic as well as Ipswich Ware and Northern Maxey Ware. Intrusive sherds of Humber Ware and York Glazed Ware were also present in C1973B, C2057B and C1969B, but this is not surprising given that the deposits were either truncated by later medieval activity or, due to their profile, were exposed at the surface despite being among the earliest deposits in the feature. F458B was cut by a 14th century pit, F242B, which contained shear blades, two tinned-iron finger rings, a fragmentary whittle-tang knife and a fragment of iron barrel padlock which may actually derive from F458B.
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| Plate 22 | Plate 23 |
Figure 9. Pit group 1, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
F351B, F522B and F387B
Immediately to the south of F458B, a smaller rubbish pit was defined and excavated. The feature measured c.2.0m x 2.0m x 1.20m and was filled with a number of clayey-silty and sandy-clay deposits containing assemblages of craft-working and domestic waste (C1763B, C2108B, C2111B and C2113B to C2115B) (see Figure 9, Plate 24). Bone-working waste was recovered in the form of a piece of split rib and cut antler. Of particular note were four conjoining sections of a composite single-sided comb with double connecting plates and incised line decoration (Plate 25). The fragments were recovered from three separate contexts within F351B, C2106B, C2107B and C2108B and are dateable stylistically to the 8th century. The comb fragments are covered with a green concretion, again indicating the use of the pit for the disposal of cess. As well as the bone comb, an unusually large red deer metapodial skate was recovered. The distal condyles have been perforated and partially sawn off, and the ventral side is highly ebonised and displays frequent saw-marks. An iron dress pin with a lead alloy head was recovered from C1763 (Appendix K) as well as two sherds of Saxon glass, one with white trailed decoration. Intrusive York Glazed Ware and York Splash Glazed Ware were noted in C2115B, but the majority of material recovered was overwhelmingly Anglian.
Two features, postholes F387B and F522B, appeared to be associated with F351B. F387B was u-shaped with a concave base, a diameter of 0.3m and a depth of 0.3m. It was backfilled with a dark yellowish brown sandy clay. F522B is a slightly larger posthole measuring 0.75m x 0.25m and backfilled with a very dark grey sandy silt. These two postholes were positioned at the eastern and western sides of the pit respectively and betray the presence of an associated cover or superstructure over the pit.
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| Plate 24 | Plate 25 |
F273B
To the west of F351B, another pit was identified and excavated. The feature
measured 1.5m x 1.35m in plan, but had been truncated by later features F272B
and F258B. It was backfilled with a number of deposits, C1645B, C2093B to
C2095B, and C2103B and C2104B, which consisted primarily of silty clay, clay
and sandy silts (see Figure 9, Plate 26, right). These deposits contained
a good assemblage of early medieval pottery including Northern Maxey Ware,
Sandstone Tempered Ware, Torksey Ware and Lincoln Fine-shelled Ware, alongside
residual Roman pottery. Torksey Ware is dated to the mid-9th century at the
earliest and came from C1096B. It may suggest that F273B was backfilled in
the mid-9th century, although its incidence in York is normally associated
with the later 9th to 10th centuries, as at Coppergate, and it may equally
be intrusive. The Lincoln Fine-Shelled Ware is also Anglo-Scandinavian, although
ceramic assessment suggests that it may actually be Northern Maxey Ware,
also a shell tempered pottery, which will be investigated further during
analysis. Two sherds of intrusive Humber Ware were noted, one from a recovery
context C2074B and one from C2095B, which was truncated by a later feature.
The majority of the backfills contained chewed and digested eel bones and
faecal concretions, suggesting that F273B had also been used for the disposal
of human waste.
F359B/F501B and F502B
The
southernmost pit in the group, F359B, was situated in an area of complex
stratigraphy caused by the presence of several intercutting pits belonging
to different phases. The feature was recorded in the field as sub-rectangular,
0.3m in depth with a mixture of reddish brown and yellowish brown silty clay
backfills. F359B was cut by a Period 7 ditch, F450B, although inspection
of the drawn and photographic record demonstrates that this relationship
was observed retrospectively, with F359B being simply defined and excavated
prior to the definition of gully F450B. Several of the feature's characteristics
recommend it for allocation to Period 3. Its excavated form suggested the
feature was originally sub-square (Plate 27, right) and had been filled initially
with a deposit of cess, C1866B, which overlay a possible lining or discoloured
subsoil C1940B (see Figure 9). The feature was subsequently backfilled with
two deposits, C1855B and C1863B, a reddish-brown silty-clay and a light yellowish-brown
sandy-clay, which contained characteristic Period 3 material. Only a sherd
of residual Roman pottery and residual Roman brick fragments were recovered
from the feature, but the fills also contained cess, an angle-backed whittle-tang
iron blade, daub and a bone toothplate blank indicative of bone-working.
A piece of post-medieval glass was also recovered during excavation, but
this is almost certainly intrusive from Period 9.
Two small postholes were identified in the base of F359, and are likely to have been integral to the feature's original form (F501B and F502B). Both appeared as steep-sided features with u-shaped profiles, with F502B being the smaller of the two, having a diameter of 0.1m and a depth of 0.2m. F501B was slightly larger, measuring 0.25m x 0.45m. Each feature was backfilled with a dark grey sandy silt. F501B and F502B were located in the northwestern and northeastern corners of F359 respectively. The post-excavation form of F501B included an undercut southwestern edge, suggesting that the post had been in an angled position towards F502B and that the superstructure may have consisted of a cruck-type arrangement, suggesting the feature may have been covered.
F557B
This
pit was located along the route of Blue Bridge Lane and was identified, recorded
and sampled in section during a watching brief on ground beam installation.
The feature was visible as a deep pit measuring 1.20m in diameter by 1.20m
deep. The feature had been filled initially with a deposit of redeposited
subsoil, suggesting that the pit sides had collapsed following excavation;
the feature also displayed undercut sides to the east, suggesting another
episode of collapse (Plate 28, right). The feature was then filled with alternating
dark humic bone-rich clayey-silts, C2220B, C2217B, C2218B and C2215B, interleaved
with sterile redeposited gravelly clay, C2219B, C2216B, C2214B. Only one
sherd of early 2nd century ceramic was recovered from C2217B, although hammerscale,
slag, charred organic material and faecal concreted animal bone were reminiscent
of the contents of other Period 3 pits and the feature was allocated accordingly.
Pit group 2
A second pit group has been defined towards the western limit of Intervention 15, and although more spread out than pit group 1, nevertheless seems to form a coherent group in the area (see Figure 7). The group consists of two large pits, F381B and F13B, which are associated with five subsidiary smaller pits F408B/F246B, F402B, F164B and F353B (Figure 10). In addition, a possible small post in trench feature F413B, and posthole F517B, have been assigned to the group. These small structural features could belong to a later period, but the recovery of over 15.5kg of burnt daub from the uppermost fill of F381B and evidence for thatch in charred remains from F408B suggests a timber building may have been situated nearby. Most significantly, by far the best assemblage of lost personal items was recovered from pits belonging in group 2, including the majority of the early medieval coins, food processing, toilet and personal objects, suggesting occupation nearby.
Figure 10. Pit group 2, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
F13B
This pit was first encountered in Intervention 1 of the evaluation programme. During this phase of work, the date and character of the feature was establish through half-sectioning; its excavation was completed within the main phase of fieldwork. The pit was cut to its north by another deep, straight-sided pit of 12th century date (F4B) and postholes associated with F4B suggest the feature was dug and left open for some time. As a result, the fills of F13B had eroded into F4B, being detected by the presence of a fragment of silver 8th century sceat (Appendix L), a fragment of bone needle recovered from C1030, as well as conjoining fragments of clay loomweight shared between F13 and F4B. In addition to F4B, a possible posthole had been excavated into the top of F13B, which was allocated F29B/F393B and has also been dated by pottery to the 12th century.
Upon excavation, F13B was defined as a large sub-oval pit measuring 3.0m in diameter with steep vertical sides cut into subsoil (Plate 29). The base of the feature had a stepped profile created by the presence of a 0.9m deep 'shaft' set centrally within the feature, and which appeared to be integral to its original form. When excavated originally, the feature lay open for a period, allowing the sides to collapse and creating deposits of redeposited subsoil against the edges of the feature (C1141B and C1148B). The basal deposits of F13B, C1881B and C1913B, contained faecal concretions suggesting the primary function was for the disposal of cess. The pit was subsequently filled with a spectrum of coloured deposits which contained primary refuse material (C1064B and C1065B, C1141B to C1149B, C1904B and C1913B) (Figure 11, Plate 30).
Figure 11. Pit group 2, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
Material recovered from the primary refuse deposits included strong indicators for craft-working in the form of antler- and bone-working, attested by two fragments of cut antler, and a billet blank. A clay spindlewhorl decorated with a herringbone design and at least three annular clay loomweights were recovered, indicating textile-working (Appendix M), as well as three fragments of copper alloy needles. A small iron awl may be related to light wood- or leather-craft. Significantly, three small iron fish hooks were also recovered from C1881B and C1913B. Several fragments of lavastone quernstones were recovered from various deposits (Appendix N). Discarded personal items included fragments of bone combs, one calcined side-plate with stair-step decoration, and a pig fibula pin. A good assemblage of early medieval ceramic was recovered and included multiple sherds of Northern Maxey Ware, Sandstone-tempered Ware and Black Burnished Ware alongside residual Roman pottery. The Black Burnished Ware indicates a late 7th to 8th century date for the material, which is supported by the sceat recovered from F4, dated to c.710 to 760AD.
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| Plate 29 | Plate 30 |
F413B
F413B was identified as a sub-rectangular feature cutting the final backfill of F381B to its northeast. Its excavated form consisted of a slightly irregular sub-rectangular pit measuring 1.89m x 0.94m, with steeply sloping sides. Its form also suggests a post position not defined during excavation, but suggested in plan and in section (C1897B, see Figure 11, Plate 31). It is likely that F413B was a construction cut for a posthole, although as such, the feature appears somewhat isolated. Dateable material recovered included an unusual antler mount or buckle (Plate 32), Northern Maxey Ware and Sandstone-tempered Ware. The features have been allocated to this phase, although some further sequence is suggested here, since F381B was backfilled by the late 8th century and F413B clearly post-dates the feature.
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| Plate 31 | Plate 32 |
F381B and F517B
Situated c.3.60m to the northwest of F13B, F381B was the largest feature within the pit group (see below). F517B, a small posthole, measured 0.1m x 0.15m x 0.08m, with a dark greyish silty sand backfill (C2110B) seen against the natural subsoil. Both were cut to the southeast and south respectively by F413B/F414B (see Figure 10). These two features are therefore considered to be contemporary, and the small posthole F517B suggests F381B may have had an accompanying post-structure. The feature was first identified during excavation of a large medieval quarry pit, F162B, and its western limits had been removed by the later feature. Intrusive pottery and ceramic building material from F162B was recovered during excavation, and residual sherds of Northern Maxey Ware and Sandstone-tempered Ware were present in F162B. As well as the intrusive pottery introduced by F162B, F381B was overlain by a 12th century soil spread, C1930B, which resulted in intrusive York Gritty Ware in the uppermost fill of F381B, C1846B, but also sherds of York Ware in C1849B and Torksey Ware in C1859B, both of which were exposed in plan at the surface.
Upon excavation, F381B appeared as a large sub-oval feature with a shelved edge at its eastern side, measuring 3.0m x 2.0m x 1.5m deep (Plate 33). The basal fills of the feature, C1887B, C1858B to C1860B, C2054B, C2062B and C2063B, consisted of dark brown, dark yellowish-brown and bluish-green clayey-silts (see Figure 11, Plate 34). Environmental assessment identified faecal concretions in C1858B, C1859B and C2062B, confirming the presence of cess. An articulated common frog skeleton was noted and recovered during excavation of C1860B, demonstrating that the cess pit had lain open, acting as a trap for small animals during cess disposal. The profile of these basal fills is of note since they appear to have subsided markedly, almost from the surface of the feature to the base. Alternatively, the cess disposal may have resulted in a 'coating' accumulating at the side of the feature from which it was tipped in. This would suggest that C1859B, one of the most substantial fills, was tipped from the north. The 'shelf' identified in the post-excavation form of F381B may have been intended to make disposal access into the pit easier.
Overlying the primary fills of F381B, a series of refuse deposits were identified, C1846B to C1853B. These consisted of dark greyish-brown clayey-silts which contained a variety of craft-working residues and waste, alongside discarded personal items, pottery and butchered animal bone. Evidence for antler- and bone-working was recovered in the form of two split ribs and a piece of cut antler. Textile-working was represented by a decorated clay spindlewhorl, two fragments of clay loomweight, a highly polished picker-cum-beater and a copper alloy needle shank. Metal-working was suggested by three amorphous lead blobs, a fragment of copper alloy wire and a piece of iron sheet offcut, which may have been intended for reworking. Most importantly, a discarded Roman intaglio was also recovered, significant as a find of Roman date since it is of high quality (Plate 35, Appendix O), although its find-context is also important. The stone is carnelian and has been prepared as a highly polished sub-oval gem onto which a satyr has been engraved, leaning on a pedestal, playing a pipe and holding a second instrument. The base of the gem has several areas of damage, which may be the result of having been prised from its precious metal setting. This is the only evidence of precious metal-working recovered during excavation, albeit oblique.
Personal items included two unusual antler combs; one has a double side-plate construction and appears to derive from a single-sided zoomorphic form decorated with ring and dot ornament (Plate 36). The second is represented by an antler side-plate which has a bowed profile and is decorated with a line of fourteen ring-and-dot-motifs, linked together by a chain of interlocking double rings. Two iron dress pins with lead alloy heads, a fragment of blue annular glass bead, a fragment of a toilet instrument possibly an ear scoop handle, three whittle-tang iron blades and the end of an iron barrel padlock were also recovered from the refuse deposits. A fourth whittle-tang blade was recovered from F162B and may derive from F381B.
The pottery recovered included Northern Maxey Ware, Sandstone-tempered Ware, Lincoln Fine-shelled Ware and a sherd of a Rhenish Badorf Ware cooking pot from C1858B which provides a late 8th century date. Two coins were also recovered; a continental sceat dated to c.695 to c.740 was recovered from basal fill C2062B and a sceat of Eadberht dated to 737 to 758AD from final disuse deposit C1846B. Stratigraphically, this dating evidence suggests that F381B was excavated as a cesspit in the early to mid-8th century and that it had been finally and completely disused with domestic rubbish by the mid- to late 8th century. A total of 15.88kg of burnt daub was recovered from F381B, principally C1858B and C1850B, suggesting a timber-built structure had been destroyed by fire nearby.
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| Plate 33 | Plate 34 | Plate 35 | Plate 36 |
F408B/F246B
Located
5.10m to the NNE of F381B, F408B was a subsidiary pit measuring 1.10m in
diameter and 0.70m deep with a u-shaped profile (Plate
37, right). It was
filled primarily with two deposits of green silty-clay, which may have been
a cess deposit, although only a few fish bones and no faecal concretions
were identified during the environmental assessment (C1906B and C1911B, see
Figure 11). A single sherd of Roman ceramic and a fragment of bone pin and
charred wheat, barley and oat were recovered from C1906B. The charred seeds
may have been imported to the site in straw, possibly used as thatch. Two
overlying backfills were identified, C1905B and C1892B, which consisted of
grey and brown sandy-clay deposits. These appeared to contain domestic refuse,
since animal bone and an iron whittle-tang blade were recovered from C1905B
as well as 238g of burnt daub.
Set into the top of F408B, which appeared to have been still visible as partially backfilled hollow, was a small makeshift hearth, F246B,with a rectangular profile measuring 1.2m x 1m x 0.37m. The feature was identified as a deposit of grey sandy-silt with frequent lenses of burnt, red sandy-silt and calcined animal bone. Fine-mesh sieving and flotation recovered raised levels of hammerscale and the feature may have been used for smithing. A decorated clay spindlewhorl, an iron whittle-tang blade and Northern Maxey Ware pottery were recovered from the feature, but were not burnt. A sherd of intrusive York Ware was also recovered, but its presence can be explained by an overlying soil layer.
F402B and F388B
At a distance of 5.6m to the NNW of F408B, a pair of intercutting pits were identified and allocated F402B and F388B after the removal of Period 8 soil spreads C1930B and C1431B. Definition during excavation was poor and the relationship between the two features was only visible upon excavation of F388B. F402B had actually cut away F388B on its northwestern corner, and in addition, a 12th century pit, F232B, had removed its eastern edge. As a result, the material recovered from F388B and F402B is likely to have been contaminated, and the presence of intrusive pottery has been related to the later 12th century feature, F232B, and an overlying 14th century soil spread, C1750B.
F388B
was identified as the earliest feature and its remaining dimensions suggested
it consisted originally of a sub-square feature cut into subsoil, measuring
1.10m x 1.20m x 0.40m deep. Its primary fill consisted of the butchered remains
of at least three cattle, C1856B (Figure 12, Plate
38, right). After this
primary refuse deposit the feature was backfilled, possibly quite rapidly,
to cover C1856B, which contained only one gnawed bone. The overlying backfills,
C1845B and C1857B, contained a tiny piece of iron pyrites, a fragment of
calcined decorated antler object and a very large lump of raw amber. This
find is remarkable for its size and could represent amber-working as a craft
undertaken at the site, or an item of considerable trade worth. The reason
for its disposal is not clear, although the piece has a sea-worn 'crust'
and could easily have been discarded mistakenly as a stone.
F402B cut into F388B at its northwestern corner and consisted of a sub-rectangular pit 1.0m x 1.3m x 0.55m. The feature was backfilled on one occasion with a deposit of primary refuse material which consisted of a dark humic silty clay flecked with charcoal (C1883B, Plate 39). A variety of craft-working and personal items were contained in C1883B and included two copper alloy needle shanks, two fragments of copper alloy sheet, an Anglian dress pin with a trapezoidal head and ring and dot ornament. A complete and well-preserved pair of decorated copper alloy tweezers (Plate 40) and four conjoining fragments of a decorated composite bone comb were also recovered.
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| Plate 39 | Plate 40 |
Figure 12. F388B, C1856B pre-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
F164B
Located 5.0m to the northwest of F402B/F388B, F164B was identified as a
sub-square pit during the excavation of later F178B which had truncated the
feature. The feature measured 1.0m x 0.6m and upon excavation revealed itself
to be a steep-sided pit with a flat bottom (Plate
41, right). The feature had been
partially backfilled with a deposit of dark grey clayey-silt which contained
an amorphous lead blob, Northern Maxey Ware, Lincoln Fine-shelled Ware and
Black Burnished Ware (C1341B, see Figure 11). Most importantly, C1341B also
contained a continental issue sceat dated to c.695 to 740, thus
dating the feature to the late 7th to mid-8th century. C1341B contained frequent
small mammal and amphibian bones, suggesting the feature had lain open and
acted as a trap for small animals.
Overlying C1341B, a possible lining was identified and consisted of a strong yellowish-brown layer of clay, C1340B, which contained no dateable material. The final backfill of F164B, C1337B, consisted of a very dark greyish-brown clayey-silt which contained animal bone, charred seed and a sherd of Northern Maxey Ware.
F353B
Located in the northwestern corner of Intervention 15 and disappearing beneath
the northern limit of excavation, F353B was defined as cut into an area of
intact Period 2 ground surface (C2040B=C1773B), and was half-sectioned (see
Figure 11, Plate 42, right). Its visible dimensions
were 1.5m x 1.0m x 0.5m, lying 3.70m west of F164B and it appeared to share
many characteristics with the latter. Upon excavation, the visible form of
the feature suggested it was a sub-square or rectangular pit with near-vertical
sides and a flat base. Evidence for the feature having lain open for a time
after initial excavation was identified and allocated C1772B. This deposit
consisted of a leached silty sand and may have been the result of post-depositional
changes to the surrounding subsoil, or it may represent a decayed lining
as suggested by its profile in section. A quantity of amphibian bone confirmed
that the feature had lain open for a time before complete backfilling. The
backfilling took place in a single event, with C1449B consisting of a dark
humic clayey silt, although two numbers allocated from section, C2098B and
C2099B, were overlying C1449B and are thought to represent more friable and
dry versions of the same deposit. Twenty-five sherds of Northern Maxey Ware
were recovered alongside evidence for a range of craft activities including
a clay loomweight, iron-working residues and a piece of cut antler burr and
a horn core. In addition, a complete oblong whetstone with metallic residues,
an iron dress pin with lead alloy head, a possible unfired oil lamp, and
one blue annular and one polychrome glass bead were recovered from the deposit.
Double pit group 1
As well as the above pit groups, three double pit groups were identified. Two of these could have been grouped with pit groups 1 and 2, although a similarly associated pair were also identified in Intervention 22. The first double pit group consists of two sub-square pits, F508B and F442B, situated to the west of pit group 1 (Figure 13). F508B was identified as a truncated sub-square pit measuring 1.20m x 1.30m x 0.50m (Plate 43). The feature had been backfilled with a dark brown clayey-silt, C2072B, which was devoid of dateable material apart from a single sherd of Roman ceramic (Figure 14). The feature cut Roman boundary ditch F110B and the ceramic may therefore have been redeposited from it. In any event, no Roman occupation was detected after the backfilling of the field system to which F110B belongs, and the pit is almost certainly post-Roman.
Figure 13. Double pit group 1, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
Figure 14. Double pit group 1, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
The second feature in the double pit group was defined 0.25m to the south of F508B and was allocated F442B. The feature appeared as a sub-square deposit of greyish-brown silty clay which measured 1.20m x 1.10m but was truncated by a modern wall to its west. Upon excavation, the feature appeared as a vertical-sided deep pit measuring up to 1.5m in depth. The basal fills of the feature, C2026B and C2024B, consisted of brown and green sandy and silty clays which were identified during excavation as cess-like, although environmental assessment did not identify faecal concretions and no dateable material was recovered from these fills (see Figure 14, Plate 44). The feature was subsequently backfilled with a series of deposits containing domestic and craft-working refuse, C2011B, C2004B and C1951B. Evidence for craft-working was recovered from these deposits and included four fragments of split rib and two further pieces of worked bone, as well as three fragmentary clay loomweights, including a waster. In addition, various indicators of glass- and metal-working were recovered including an amorphous lead blob, a fragment of tuyère, a malformed green glass bead and an iron strip.
Personal items included fragments of two bone combs, a fragmentary whetstone, a fragment of Saxon glass beaker and an iron slide key fragment. A good assemblage of pottery was recovered and included Northern Maxey Ware, Early Lincoln Fine-shelled Ware and Sandstone-tempered Ware. A sherd of intrusive York Ware was noted in the final backfill (C1951B).
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| Plate 43 | Plate 44 |
Double pit group 2
Double pit group 2 was located 2.4m to the north of double pit group 1 and consisted of a truncated feature, F143B, and a more substantial pit, F241B/F225B (Figure 15). Double pit group 1 appears to oppose double pit group 2, although within the confines of Intervention 15 and without further context, any grouping or association must remain tentative.
Figure 15. Double pit group 2, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
F143B was defined as a sub-circular feature measuring 0.80m in diameter and upon excavation, revealed itself to be a shallow truncated pit backfilled on three occasions with C1285B, C1534B and C1535B. A small circular depression measuring 0.10m in diameter was identified at the western side of the base. The basal fill, C1535B, consisted largely of redeposited subsoil and may represent trample from initial excavation (Figure 16). A continental issue sceat dated to c.695 to 740 was recovered from the deposit, as well as a single sherd of Roman pottery. This deposit was overlain by C1534B, which consisted of irregular patches of green silty-clay and may have been cess, although no faecal concretions were identified during environmental assessment. F143B was then backfilled with C1285B, a sterile grey silty-clay with few inclusions.
Figure 16. Double pit group 2, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
Immediately
to the south of F143B were two features, a working hollow F225B, which reused
the contours of an underlying partially backfilled cess pit, F241B. F241B
was identified, after excavation of F225B, as a large sub-square pit measuring
1.4m x 1.5m. Upon excavation, the feature proved to be a well-defined pit,
with steep edges which became more gradual at 0.50m below the pit mouth (Plate
45, right). The feature then continued down into a 'shaft' measuring
0.40m in diameter to a depth of 1.4m, and was undercut at the base. The earliest
deposit within F241B consisted of a yellowish-brown silty-clay, which was
sampled and found to be extremely sterile (C1533B) (see Figure 16). This
deposit is likely to represent redeposited subsoil from the collapse of F241B.
Overlying C1533B were a series of refuse deposits containing rich assemblages
of animal bone and some faecal concretions and chewed fish bone, which indicate
a cess component (C1531B and C1526B). The presence of amphibian bones and
overlying dumps of redeposited subsoil (C1529B) suggest that F241B was open
for a time, acting as a trap for small animals, with episodic edge collapses.
Overlying the collapse deposit were further dumps of refuse consisting of
brown clayey-silts, C1518B, C1517B and C1516B.
Material recovered from the refuse deposits included a mid-4th century coin (Constantius II, 347-48, AE4) from C1531B, Black Burnished Ware and Sandstone-tempered Ware, as well as residual Roman glass and six fragmentary loomweights, although these are likely to derive from overlying F225B. Intrusive York Ware and Gritty Ware pottery were noted in C1526B. The deposit profile within F241B suggests that the refuse deposits contained a quantity of organic material which had broken down or rotted and thus caused subsidence. This below-ground subsidence appears to have resulted in the creation of a small hollow, which was reused as the setting for a small bonfire kiln. This episode of reuse and final backfilling was allocated F225B.
F225 was first identified as a sub-square deposit of a sandy-silt, allocated
C1491B, and measured 0.7m x 0.7m. Upon excavation, it became clear that C1491B
was cut by a later sub-rectangular posthole, F226B, which measured 0.5m x
0.5m and while poorly defined, was visible in section. Upon removal of C1491B
and an underlying backfill deposit C1493B, the remains of a small bonfire
kiln were identified by the presence of several fragmentary annular loomweights
set within a small ash- and sand-filled depression created by underlying
F241B (C1494B) (Figure 17, Plate 46, right). Several fragmentary loomweights were
recorded in situand hand-collected, while numerous small fragments
belonging to many other loomweights were recovered by fine- and coarse-sieving
and flotation. A minimum number of thirty-five fragmentary loomweights were
identified during assessment, although many more are likely to be represented.
A sceat of Archbishop Ecgberth (with Eadberht) was recovered from an overlying
Period 8B soil spread, C1283B, and is likely to have been disturbed from
F225B, providing a probable mid-8th century date.
Figure 17. Plan of loomweights in situwithin F225B (Interactive SVG image)
Double pit group 3
A third double pit group was identified within Intervention 22 and included two cesspits, F427B and F437B. A posthole has been tentatively grouped with the cesspits; all three features may belong to a larger pit group beyond the limits of Intervention 22 (Figure 18).
Figure 18. Double pit group 3, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
F427B
was first identified as a sub-circular feature measuring 1.6m in diameter,
which had cut and damaged a Roman cremation burial (Cremation 5, F394B).
The feature was initially hand-excavated to a depth of 1.35m and then augured.
A possible base was encountered a further 0.80m below, suggesting a total
depth of 2.15m. At this point, the feature was steep-sided, with areas of
undercut suggesting that the edges had collapsed while the feature lay open.
A box section was excavated centrally to the base of the feature and the
basal fills of F427B were identified and sampled from section (Plate
47, right).
These consisted of silty-sands and silty-clays (C2092B, C2091B, C2090B, C2089B
and C1936B); environmental assessment identified faecal concretions in all
of the fills (Figure 19). After use as a cesspit, F427B was backfilled with
a deposit of domestic refuse (C1922B) which contained animal bone, Northern
MaxeyWare and conjoining fragments of a composite decorated bone comb. Residual
Roman ceramic was recovered as well as a sherd of intrusive Staxton Ware
in the uppermost fill C1922B.
Figure 19. Double pit group 3, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
F437B
was situated immediately southwest of F427B and was first identified as a
sub-rectangular deposit of greyish-brown clay measuring 1.30m x 1.45m. Upon
excavation, the feature proved to be 0.40m deep with steep, sometimes undercut,
sides (see Figure 18). The basal fill of F437B, C1944B, consisted of a dark
grey clayey-silt with lenses of olive green sand which appeared cess-like,
although no faecal concretions were identified during environmental assessment
(Plate 48, right). The base of F437B was undermined,
suggesting that while C1944B was accumulating or being dumped, the feature
lay open. F437B was subsequently backfilled with two deposits of clayey-silt,
C1943B and C1797B, which contained residual Roman pottery and a sherd of
intrusive York Glazed Ware introduced by the digging of overlying F434B.
A piece of lava quern and an assemblage of animal bone were recovered from
C1797B.
F417B was situated 1.80m to the west of F427B and F437B, and has been allocated to this phase since it contained only three sherds of abraded Roman ceramic and fragments of animal bone. The feature consisted of a vertically-sided posthole measuring 0.70m x 0.70m x 0.35m. Set centrally within F417B was a post-void measuring 0.45m x 0.45m.
Outlying pits
Several other features of Anglian date were identified and excavated during the main phase of work, although they were situated within small open area excavations and their context and possible pit associations are unknown. These features include a single Anglian pit excavated within the grounds of Fishergate House, F64F, as well as two large Anglian pits in Interventions 16 and 24 at Blue Bridge Lane, F520B and F546B.
F64F
This feature was first defined within the burial horizon of the medieval cemetery within the grounds of Fishergate House, since it was cut by two medieval graves, F63F and F99F, and was initially defined by bone-rich deposit C1120F (see Figure 7 for location). The two graves were not clearly defined within C1120F, but below the burial horizon, the definition of the feature improved dramatically against underlying subsoil. Its excavated form consisted of a deep cut measuring 1.10 x 1.0m x 1.45m, and like F381B, F64F had a shelved form with a deeper shaft towards the southern side of the feature (Figure 20, Plate 49). The basal fills C1352F, C1126F/C1349F and C1345F consisted of grey clay and bluish-grey clays (Figure 21, Plate 50). An irregular issue styca of the mid-9th century was recovered from C1345F. Environmental assessment identified faecal concretions and chewed fish bone in all three deposits. The profile of these deposits was again suggestive of subsiding organic fills, which appear to have coated the edges of the feature. The presence of amphibian bone also suggests that F64F lay open for some time while in use as a cesspit. The possibility of a recut was recorded, although the recutting of a cesspit, in an otherwise unintensively occupied area, seems unlikely.
Figure 20. F64F, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
Figure 21. F64F, west facing section (Interactive SVG image)
After initial use as a cesspit, F64F was filled with a series of bone-rich humic deposits. This sequence was originally excavated as C1120F, although visible in section was a series of deposits allocated and excavated stratigraphically as C1338F, C1339F, C1344F, C1345F and C1348F. These consisted of dark grey and brown clayey-silts which contained assemblages of animal and domestic and craft-working refuse. The ceramic recovered from F64F included Ipswich Ware, Northern Maxey Ware and a sherd of imported pottery. The assemblage was given a date of the early to mid-8th century, although the styca from C1345F suggests the overlying material may have derived from midden material later redeposited in F64F to backfill over the cess deposits.
Craft-working material consisted of a good assemblage of bone comb-making debris, including several bone and antler tooth and side-plate blanks. A fragment of clay loomweight and a clay spindlewhorl were also recovered. Generally, personal items were restricted to the styca and a fragment of broken decorated bone comb side plate.
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| Plate 49 | Plate 50 |
F520B
This feature was identified, after the removal of overlying C1826B and F523B,
as a large apparently sub-rectangular pit located in the southeastern corner
of Intervention 16 and disappearing beneath the southern and eastern limits
of the intervention. Its excavated form consisted of a sub-rectangular pit
measuring 1.20m north-south x 0.70m deep, with sides sloping gently onto
a flat base (Figure 22, Plate 51, right).
The basal fill of F520B consisted of a thin patchy deposit of fine greyish-green
silt, C2129B, although no faecal concretions were identified during environmental
assessment and the layer may represent discolouration from the underlying
subsoil (Figure 23). The feature was filled with a series of bone-rich humic
fills (C1811B, C2120B, C2122B) interleaved with dumps and thin treads of
redeposited subsoil (C2119B, C2121B, C2126B to C2128B), which may derive
from periodic collapse and deliberate lining or capping of the pit contents.
Figure 22. F520B, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
Figure 23. F520B, west and north facing section (Interactive SVG image)
Material recovered from F520B was indicative of metal-working, or more specifically, lead-alloy working. Several spheres and amorphous lead pieces were found alongside fragments of lead trimming and copper alloy sheet. In addition, fragments of split and chopped rib and bone blanks from bone-comb making were recovered. A globular amber bead, a small fragment of iron pyrites, Black Burnished Ware, Sandstone tempered Ware and Lincoln fine-shelled Ware were also recovered from the feature.
F546B
Located within Intervention 24 and continuing beyond the northern limit of excavation, F546B was first identified after the excavation of overlying feature F534B. The excavated shape of the feature was only achieved in approximately a quarter of the feature's total area, since the total depth of Intervention 22 had reached safe limits and the excavation had to be stepped-in. As a result, the deposit sequence within the feature was difficult to differentiate against surrounding subsoil. The excavation of F546B appears to have been followed by a period of being left open, during which the southern side of the feature collapsed inwards, as represented by sterile redeposited subsoil deposits C2194B, C2200B and C2201B, which were also identified on the feature's western side but appeared to represent less severe collapse (Figure 24, Plate 52). Environmental assessment of these deposits identified only occasional burnt grain and possible hammerscale, although this could be natural magnetic material. A sherd of Roman pottery was recovered, which may derive from the Roman ploughsoil overlying subsoil. The feature was then partially backfilled with a deep deposit of bone-rich friable humic silt, C2198B, containing a large assemblage of animal bone, Lincoln fine-shelled Ware and Roman pottery. Environmental assessment identified charred material, possibly bread, and hazelnut shell.
Figure 24. F546B, south and west facing section (Interactive SVG image)
Overlying C2198B were two sterile gravelly-clay deposits, C2204B and C2203B, which appeared to represent a subsoil collapse on the western side of the feature. This was followed by two final backfills, C2195B and C2175B, which consisted of very dark grey silty-clays. Material recovered from these backfills included animal bone, Roman ceramic and a sherd of intrusive Yorkshire Gritty Ware in the uppermost deposit.
The deposits within F546B identified in the quadrant section were subsequently removed by machine for safety reasons. The spoil was sieved for artefact retrieval and a fragmentary iron punch and a piece of Roman polychrome mosaic bowl were recovered, as well as a quantity of animal bone. F546B had been cut into an intact Roman ploughsoil horizon, C2194B, which was rarely encountered during excavation in Intervention 15, demonstrating potential levels of truncation in that area of the site.
Alignment of pits
In addition to the pit groups, an alignment of pits has been tentatively identified and includes F353B, F164B, F388B/402B, F408B, F508B, F359B (see Figure 7). These features appeared to follow a rough SSW-NNE alignment across Intervention 15.
F46B, which was excavated and identified as a well, may belong to the same alignment. F46B measures 1.1m in diameter, with a possible depth of up to 1.5m. Roman, Anglian and Anglo-Scandinavian pottery were recovered from the feature's single backfill. A total of 111g of Anglian pottery were recovered , while only one sherd of Torksey Ware and one sherd of Stamford Ware (being 17g) suggest a Period 4 date.
Apart from F46B, these features are securely dated to the Anglian period. Many of the features were originally sub-square in plan, and are reasonably evenly spaced. While the features appeared to be associated, their identification as a group must remain tentative, for what appears to be a genuine distribution of features within the large open area cannot be secure without more contextual information. If the alignment reflects a genuine pattern, it seems to be set tangentially to the route of the Roman road as suggested by the flanking ditch. The alignment does not necessarily indicate the presence of a physical boundary, although they may have been dug deliberately at the limits of a property, a phenomenon observed at other contemporary British sites. Stratigraphic relationships were extremely rare, suggesting that occupation areas were not densely occupied and space was not at a premium. It may be significant that the two pairs of intercutting features belonged in pit group 2 and one of only two pairs of intercutting features from Period 3, F388B and F402B, belong in this alignment. In addition, F408B, reused as F246B, also belong within the alignment. These rare stratigraphic relationships are the only suggestion of density of occupation at the site and may also suggest some perpetuation of the postulated boundary.
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