Blue Bridge Lane
&
Fishergate House
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The latest Anglian features at the site appear to have been completely disused by the mid-9th century. After this date, the pottery suggests a break or at least a diminution in occupation. Torksey Ware, made in Lincolnshire from the mid-9th century, was recovered from a group of features at the site, although its presence in assemblages in York is normally associated with the later 10th century. York A Ware and D Ware were present in some features, and suggest a date before the mid-10th century, although little by way of occupation of late 9th to mid-10th century date can be identified confidently. By far the best evidence for occupation of this date was identified within Intervention 1 at Fishergate House, in the form of a possible sunken-feature building associated with occupation hearths, a number of rubbish pits and scattered postholes. Only scattered postholes and a single pit have been identified in Intervention 15 at Blue Bridge Lane, alongside single features in Intervention 16 and 24 (Figure 25).
Figure 25. Location of Period 4 features (Interactive SVG image)
A group of features of secure or probable late 10th century date were identified and excavated within Intervention 1 at Fishergate House (Structure 1: F177F, F183F to F185F; and F125F, F129F, F150F and F161F). Structure 1 was located in the southwestern corner of Intervention 1 and continued beneath the southern and western limits of excavation (Figure 26).
Figure 26. Fishergate House Period 4 features, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
Structure 1
Where visible, S1 consisted of a well-defined sub-rectangular feature (F177F)
measuring 1.90m x 1.15m, with sloping sides and a flat base. F177F had been
backfilled with a sticky silty-clay, C1335F, from which six sherds of Torksey
Ware jars and bowls were recovered, as well as single examples of Staxton
Ware and York Glazed Ware, although these are likely to be intrusive from
two medieval graves which cut F177F (Inhumations 142 and 157) (see Figure
26, Plate 53, right). A fragment of purple phylitte schist whetstone of probable
Norwegian origin was also recovered from C1335F (Dr G Gaunt, pers. comm.).
As such, the object represents an item from North Sea trade, and is therefore
considered to affirm the post-9th century date for S1. The backfill sealed
a layer of trample (C1350F), which sat around the sides of the feature and
in patches over the base, and either abutted and respected structural features,
or was cut by other features within F177F (Figure 27).
Figure 27. Fishergate House Period 4 features, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
The
excavated form of F177F contained three features: two postholes, F184F and
F185F, and a cobble-lined hearth, F183F. F184F and F185F were both well-defined
truncated postholes, being no more than 0.10m deep and backfilled with a
dark brown silty clay. They were situated in the northeastern corner and
along the northern edge of F177F respectively. Located between these structural
features was hearth F183F, measuring c.0.8m x 0.05m, and identified
as a spread of charcoal which appeared to have been contained in parts by
ordered cobbles, many of which were fire-reddened and heat-cracked (Plate
54, right). The primary hearth fill contained burnt animal bone and clay
and a sherd of burnt Torksey Ware. Environmental assessment of the hearth
contents identified a large amount of charcoal belonging to roundwood and
bark.
Associated with this structure, both spatially and in terms of the ceramic
content, were several rubbish pits, F125F, F129F, F150F, F171F and a hearth,
F161F. F161F was situated adjacent to F177F and was identified as a well-defined
double-lobed feature, c.1.0m in diameter. Its excavated form consisted
of a large sub-circular lobe, c.0.70m in diameter, with gently
sloping sides to the north and a smaller sub-circular lobe to the south (see
Figure 26). Upon excavation, the feature proved to have been filled with
a deposit of cobbles, charcoal and burnt clay, C1314F, and environmental
assessment identified burnt grain, seeds and field bean within the charcoal
as well as wood-ash (Plate 55, right). This
deposit did not extend into the small southern lobe, which has been tentatively
identified as a possible post-setting. F161F was disused by a dark greyish-brown
silty clay allocated C1307F/C1308F. One sherd of burnt York A Ware was recovered
from C1314F, suggesting a mid-9th century date, although F161F has been assigned
to the slightly later mid-10th century phase due to its similarity in composition
to F183F and its proximity to F177F.
F125F was located 3.20m to the north of F177F and identified as a sub-rectangular feature measuring 1.50m x 1.00m. Its excavated form consisted mostly of undercut sides with a near-vertical eastern edge, and it had been backfilled on three occasions with dark grey silty clays allocated C1240F, C1239F and C1238F (see Figure 27). These deposits contained three sherds of Torksey Ware, residual Sandstone-tempered Ware, animal bone, smithing slag, a wound-wire silver finger-ring, a bone comb tooth and a river pebble spindlewhorl.
A
similar rubbish pit, allocated F129F, was identified in the northwestern
corner of Intervention 1, although it had been severely truncated by overlying
medieval graves, particularly F162F, but also F131F, F134F and F149F. It
appeared as a sub-rectangular deposit of very dark greyish-brown clayey-silt
and upon excavation, proved to be a steep-sided pit measuring 1.80m x 1.20m
x 0.25m. The intact backfills, C1318F and C1317F, contained a moderately
large assemblage of Torksey Ware sherds which represented jars, a bowl, a
lamp and a large container with direct thumbing (see Figure 27, Plate
56, right).
To the south of F125F and F129F, a small undated truncated pit cut by an inhumation was defined and excavated (F171F), and has been allocated to this period. The feature consisted of a well defined sub-circular pit measuring c.0.60m in diameter, and proved to be 0.15m deep. The feature had been backfilled once with C1325F, a greyish-brown silty clay which contained fragments of animal bone and charcoal flecks.
Nine more scattered features of this phase were encountered close to, but set slightly apart from, this cluster of features in Intervention 1 (F103F, F104F, F107F, F109F, F123F, F150F, F216F, F229F and F231F). F150F was situated at the northern limit of Intervention 1 and disappeared beneath it. Its visible and excavated dimensions were 1.30m west-east x 1.30m deep. The feature's original form consisted of a deep pit with steeply sloping sides and an irregular base. The pit had been backfilled primarily with C1287F, which consisted of dark greyish-brown clayey-silt, rich in animal bone, from which a sherd of Torksey Ware was recovered (see Figure 27). Overlying the primary backfill, a second backfill deposit was defined, and consisted of a brown silty-clay which contained occasional pebbles, but it was otherwise clean and yielded no dateable material (C1291F); sinkage from overlying cemetery soil C1003F was also noted in section.
Nearby,
a small structural complex (F103F, F104F, F107F, F109F and F123F) was identified
and excavated, and while no Anglo-Scandinavian material was contained in
the features, it cut into the backfilled Period 3 (mid-9th century) F64F
to its east and was, in turn, cut by medieval graves. It could, therefore,
also belong to the post-Conquest period, although as such, it would represent
an isolated feature. The feature has been allocated subsequently to the Anglo-Scandinavian
complex, particularly since its method of construction, form, use and backfill
were reminiscent of Structure 1 (see Figure 26 and 27, Plate
57, right).
F104F consisted of a small shallow sub-square concave scoop measuring 1.10m x 1.10m x 0.25m. The feature contained a thick layer of trample or occupation debris which included some charred material and calcined animal bone within a dark greyish brown silty clay matrix, all of which may represent redeposited hearth contents (C1202F). Two postholes and one stake hole were identified set within the base of F104F (F107F, F109F and F123F) and appeared in section to have been removed after the accumulation of C1202F. F107F was visible as a sub-circular feature measuring 0.08m in diameter by 0.1m in depth, backfilled with a dark grey clay silt. F109F was a larger posthole measuring 0.4m x 0.2m x 0.4m, oval in plan, with vertical sides and a concave base. It had been backfilled with a dark greyish brown silty clay, a mixed clay and packing stones (C1203F). It was situated on the southern edge of F104F, opposite F123F, which was located on the northern edge. F123F was a sub-circular posthole, 0.25m in diameter and 0.35m in depth, backfilled with a dark greyish brown silty clay (C1235F). The function of the suite of features was unclear, although use as a covered pit, possibly associated with a hearth, was suggested.
To the south, F231F was cut to its northwest by Period 8 F229F, but survived as a crescentic cut backfilled once with C1432F, a clean homogenous silty-clay which contained no dateable material but had been truncated by an overlying Period 7 grave, F228F. F231F measured c.0.65m in diameter, and up to 0.25m deep. F229F was defined in plan as a sub-circular feature with very steep sloping sides and an irregular base. It measured 0.95m in diameter with a depth of 0.3m, and was backfilled with a dark greyish brown silty clay (C1430F).
To the south of F229F and F231F, a possible hearth, F216F, was identified
and excavated (see Figure 26 and 27, Plate 58). This feature was situated
at the southern limit of the eastern trench of Intervention 4 and continued
beyond it. F216F was sectioned against the north facing section, where it
proved to be 1.20m x 0.45m x 0.40m. The feature was filled with a charcoal-rich
deposit, C1466F, which overlay an episode of possible collapse or deliberate
clay lining, C1467F. Environmental assessment identified large quantities
of burnt barley, oat and weed seeds contained in C1466F. The primary fill
was sealed by a thick deposit of charcoal- and daub-rich clayey silt which
represented the final disuse of the feature (C1456F); sinkage from the overlying
buried soil was also noted and allocated C1406F. It is possible that F216F
functioned as a drying pit for grain (barley and oats), as represented by
the charred remains. The pit may also have had a superstructure of wattle
and daub, as suggested by the contents of C1456F. Only a small sherd of residual
Roman pottery was contained in F216F, but in the field was recorded as cut
by a Period 5 feature (F214F), which is now thought to have been unlikely.
Overall, the feature appears to belong with the Anglo-Scandinavian domestic
occupation rather than with any other period, particularly since other Anglo-Scandinavian
features contained similar burnt grain and seeds.
A second suite of features located in Intervention 2 at Fishergate House, consisting of four postholes and a stakehole (F180F to F182F, F238F and F256F), have been assigned to Period 4. It should be noted, however, that this allocation is not secure, relying principally on a single residual sherd of Torksey Ware and a fragment of Saxon reticella glass from a medieval grave, F250F, overlying posthole F256F (see Figure 26). F180F to F182F were identified after the removal of buried Roman soil C1341F, although all were in a truncated state and it seems likely they were actually cut through the layer (Plate 59). F238F and F256F were defined after the excavation of all overlying graves and were also extremely truncated. All four postholes were small circular features, the deepest measuring 0.13m deep, and their distribution within Intervention 2 appeared to follow a slight curve. Their backfills were made up of a very dark grey silty clay. No dateable material was recovered from any of the features.
To the north of Blue Bridge Lane, only scattered evidence for Anglo-Scandinavian occupation has been identified, and again, features are dated primarily on the presence of Torksey Ware in backfill deposits; no convincing evidence was found on this side of Blue Bridge Lane for primary occupation. Features allocated to this phase were predominantly postholes (F112B, F181B, F256B, F314B, F480B, F523B to F526B) as well as a single pit, F460B and a possible well, F46B. The distances between the postholes are too great to relate to a single building, and as isolated features, they are difficult to interpret (see Figure 25 for distribution).
F112B was identified as a sub-rectangular feature measuring 0.35m x 0.42m x 0.04m, and was truncated by a modern drain (F47B) (Figure 28). Its backfill consisted of a dark grey silty clay which contained pottery and an iron nail. Lying to the southwest of F112B was F181B, a circular posthole, u-shaped in profile with a concave base (Figure 29). It measured 0.30m across x 0.10m deep, and was backfilled with a dark grey silty clay. F181B lay in close proximity to F46B, identified as a well, to which it may be related. F46B contained a small quantity of Period 4 pottery, although this was outweighed by sherds of Period 3 pottery. The date of its original excavation and final disuse is not clear.
Figure 28. Blue Bridge Lane Period 4 features, post-excavation (Interactive SVG image)
Figure 29. Blue Bridge Lane Period 4 features, section portfolio (Interactive SVG image)
F480B was allocated to a small shallow posthole located to the west, sub-rectangular in plan with a u-shaped profile and concave base. It measured 0.35m x 0.20m x 0.05m, and was cut into the clay subsoil and the edge of an earlier Period 2 ditch, F203B. The feature had been backfilled with a dark brown silty clay containing 6g of plain medieval tile, although this could well be intrusive.
A quantity of Anglo-Scandinavian pottery was recovered residually from features of later date, most notably from F4B and F393B; in both cases, the amounts of later ceramic were such that intrusion could not be proposed, nevertheless, the presence and quantity of Period 4 pottery is worthy of note. In addition to residual sherds of Anglo-Scandinavian ceramic, one sherd each of Stamford Ware and Torksey Ware were the latest sherds to be recovered from F46B; these have been tentatively identified as intrusive. Consequently, the feature has been assigned to Period 3, although its association with nearby posthole F181B, may suggest that it, too, belongs in Period 4. In Intervention 16, a small suite of features (F523B to F526B) was identified as belonging to Period 4.
The scattered postholes assigned to Period 4 had all been truncated and with the exception of F523B/524B; none were deeper than 0.10m. The exceptional structural features were F523B to F526B, which were reminiscent of the small structural complex of F103F and F104F within Fishergate House, although they are difficult to interpret, being restricted by the limits of Intervention 16. F256B was identified as a large construction cut containing seven cobble and stone rubble packing stones, C1575B. A post appeared to have been deliberately removed and the void filled with a bone-rich clayey silt, C1574. F523B/F524B were located within Intervention 16 and cut an earlier, Period 3, pit (F520B). F523B consisted of a shallow scoop no greater than 0.20m deep, and was associated with posthole F524B, identified in its base. This posthole was well-preserved, measuring 0.22m x 0.28m x 0.65m deep. These features may relate to a more substantial structure beyond the limits of Intervention 16, as suggested by two further postholes F525B and F526B (identified in section as sealed by a Roman soil but likely to have been cut from the same horizon as F523B and F525B).
The sole associated non-structural feature, F460B, measured 1.20m x 1.10m x 0.20m in depth. The feature had been backfilled on three separate occasions with clayey silts C1975B, C1977B and C1978B. A single sherd of Stamford Ware was recovered from C1975B, and F460B was cut to its east by F459B, and contained a quantity of residual Anglo-Scandinavian ceramic, which may derive from F460B. An assemblage of animal bone was also recovered during excavation.
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