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Artefacts & Environmental Evidence: The Building Materials

Rebecca Lane

Window Glazing

A small but significant number of the finds from Fishergate House and Blue Bridge Lane, York suggest the presence of glazed windows at both sites. Fragments of glass from late medieval decorative schemes have been analysed by Dr Hugh Wilmott and one further significant find was that of a small lead window came, again probably of late medieval date.

The lead came

Find number 365 (F173F, C1328F) was a small lead window came, approximately 5cm in length recovered from the backfill of a grave (Plate 22). The came has a standard H-profile with flat sides, providing space for the insertion of glass in the grooves on either side. Cames were produced either by hand or, from the 16th century, using a cranked milling machine. Evidence for the latter is usually in the form of teeth marks on the inner grooves of the came, and the absence of these on the example from Fishergate House suggests a date in the medieval period, which is supported by its recovery from a medieval grave backfill.

Plate 22

Window glass

A full analysis of the glass finds from Fishergate House and Blue Bridge Lane was undertaken by Dr Hugh Wilmott (see Glass). However, significant in terms of building material were the fragments of late medieval window glass. Three of these fragments were decorated: G32 (Find no 967, F4F, C1008F) had two parallel lines; G33 (Find no 4125, F39B, C1149B) had a grozed edge and preserved a sweep of figural drapery; G34 (Find no 4548, F242B, C1528B) was a very small fragment showing a fronded edge, probably from a leaf. Two further fragments G35 (Find no 971, F163F, C1311F) and G36 (Find no 4194, F195B, C1380B) were fragments of plain glass.

The presence of decorated glass at Blue Bridge Lane site suggests that these are further finds from the Gilbertine priory on the site. Large amounts of glass were recovered in earlier excavations on the site (Graves 1996, 283), suggesting numerous decorative schemes were used at the Priory, although the fragments recovered are not sufficient for any comparison. More significant was the discovery of a fragment of decorated glass, plain glass and the window came. This suggests the presence of another high-status building, possibly ecclesiastical, in the area.

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