RECENT FIELDWORK
A Pre-historic square enclosure at Racecourse Road/Seamer Moor, Scarborough
This rectangular enclosure has been known for some time and has been of interest to Chris Hall and Trevor Pearson for a number of years. During 2008 we had our first opportunity to carry out ground investigations on this site.
The site had been assumed to be Roman largely on the basis of its shape and references to it by the antiquarians Thomas Hinderwell, George Young and Robert Knox and also by the Ordnance Survey.
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Here is a Google map of the site: zoom in to examine the field in detail
The site occupies a small spur of elevated land to the north of Racecourse Road/Stepney Hill, and around which the road, rising from Scarborough, curves on the south and east. This spur of land was enclosed on the west and north by a double ditch, though the greater part of this has now disappeared. The spur, on its east, forms part of the scarp slope of the eastern outliers of the Tabular Hills making this quite a prominent site. From the descriptions by antiquarians, referred to above, and from the evidence of the 1854 and 1893 large scale Ordnance Survey maps the site is known to have been occupied by a square enclosure consisting of ditch and bank or rampart but since the second half of the 20th century there have been no significant upstanding earthworks. However, an aerial photograph taken in the winter of 1999/2000 ( see www.getmapping.com) just after the western field had been cultivated reveals the greater part of the enclosure as a clear soil mark indicating that there must still be some sub surface survival of the feature. No obvious features within the enclosure appear on this air photograph.
Ground investigations commenced in February 2008 with non-invasive survey. A magnetometry survey was carried out using a Geoscan FM256 fluxgate gradiometer and a resistivity survey using a Geoscan RM15-D resistance meter on a 100 metre by 60 metre grid - this work proved inconclusive as did the field walking carried out simultaneously.
1.Geophysical survey in progress
Ground intervention carried out over the period 15 to 20 March 2008 consisted of a single trench located over the predicted alignment of the ditch and bank forming the northern side of the enclosure.
2.General view of the excavation showing the position of the trench in relation to Racecourse Road
Initially the trench was 20 metres long by 2 wide, but it was extended by a further 2 metres at a width of 4 metres in order to pick up more of the enclosure. This trench revealed the presence of a substantial ditch cut into the natural rock. This ditch had a width at its top of 4.7 metres reducing to about 0.8 metres at its bottom - it was not possible to fully excavate the bottom of the ditch due to adverse working conditions. The depth of the ditch was about 2.3 metres. There was no evidence of the associated bank.
3.Excavation of the ditch in progress
There was very little dating evidence although close to the bottom, three sherds of pottery were found which have been tentatively dated as late Neolithic or early Bronze age. This clearly has a major implication on the dating of this feature and to provide further evidence the Society has now funded radio-carbon dating of charcoal samples taken from the same vicinity as the pottery. Environmental sampling was also carried out and again analysis of this material is being carried out. The results of these scientific studies are awaited.
4.The fully excavated ditch
We hope to carry out more work at this site including geophysical survey to try to determine whether the enclosure was occupied and its exact size. We also hope to investigate associated structures in the surrounding area.
Text and Images
Chris Hall
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Auborough Street - Scarborough: recent and future work
During May and June 2007 a research excavation took place in the garden of T L Chapman's premises off Auborough Street. It is possible that we will carry out further work on adjacent land in the near future to add to the work done in 2007.
Over the last 20 years we have carried out 69 excavations or watching briefs and put down about 100 trenches in the town. This represents a major body of work, of which we can be justly proud. Many of these have been small scale works and many of them have been development led where the agenda has been governed by data recovery rather than answering specific questions. In 2007 we made a decision to move away from development led archaeology and to move back to doing fewer, but longer research led excavations - Auborough Street was the first of these.
The site at Auborough Street was of immense interest to us. It is shown on John Cossins’ 1725 map as open land, and has remained as such ever since - it was probably vacant in the medieval period. Moreover the eastern boundary of the site has persisted over this period meaning that it is significant. We thought this site could help us answer the question 'What is the course of the northern section of the Old Borough defences?' Trevor Pearson and Chris Hall postulated an alignment of the Oldborough defences which would take them (ie ditch, rampart and wall) on a more eastern course than that postulated by Peter Farmer. Maps and boundary analysis supported this thesis and this site off Auborough Street (behind Niso Terrace) was in the right place to answer this question.
5.General view of the site showing the excavation in progress
Three trenches were put down during this week long excavation - Trench 1 was against the boundary wall with the Mariners homes on Tollergate (the eastern boundary of the site) whilst Trenches 2 and 3 were on the grassed area in front of the house.
Under relatively modern overburden, the excavation of each trench found that the site had been quarried for clay in the post medieval period. The ‘quarries’ took the form of long narrow trenches separated by narrow clay baulks. We have found similar ‘quarries’ at Paradise and Tollergate. We think that they represent the systematic digging of clay, probably for brick or tile making, each ‘quarry’ being big enough to produce enough material for the firing of one kiln. After excavation of the clay the ‘quarry’ was backfilled and we think another strip was excavated leaving the baulk between avoid contamination of the clay.
6.The clay ‘quarries’ in Trench 2 clearly showing the baulks
7.The clay ‘quarries’ in Trench 3 showing the baulks. The diagonal features seem to be associated with the back filling of the ‘quarries’
Although it is disappointing that evidence of the alignment of the town defences was not found, the discovery of this further set of clay quarries is interesting. The represent valuable evidence of an economic activity which was taking place in the town which is proving more and more extensive. We are still working on the finds so we have not got dating for the ‘quarries’ yet. The excavation did also show that Peter Farmer’s postulated alignment of the Old Borough Defences was not correct and a second phase of work on the other side of the boundary wall may help to cast further light on this puzzle
8.Trench 1 showing the footings of the boundary wall
Text and Images
Chris Hall
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Field work at Wansford - Autumn 2006
In September 2006 the Society commenced field work at Wansford a small village a couple of miles south east of Driffield. This is the first time we have organised field work outside Scarborough for some years, although we have worked with other groups in the wider area.
The site is a large field, which in 2006 carried a corn crop. Earlier maps show that the present field was previously divided into smaller units. We investigated this site at the request of Society member Sheila Cadman who lives in Wansford and who has found much Iron Age/Romano-British pottery and flints while walking the field.
An aerial photograph of 1975 (see below) shows a square enclosure appearing as a crop mark close to two clumps of trees. The northern clump of trees is a relic of an earlier field boundary and helps us tie in the site with the 1892 Ordnance Survey map where the boundary seems to respect the northern alignment of the enclosure. The southern clump is an oak tree which still exists. An earlier air photo of 1947 was taken in low winter light (17 November) and shows features as shadow lines. It looks like in 1947 the southern side of the enclosure was then an open ditch.
Extract from 1975 aerial photo showing the enclosure
When the new water treatment works were being built in the south east corner of the field in 2005 a geophysical survey was carried out. The enclosure showed up clearly on this survey although it was not continuous on the north, south and east boundaries. Areas of high ferrous content were also present. Associated excavations revealed evidence of a Romano-British settlement and field systems.
We put down two trenches. Trench 1 was located just north of the oak tree and picked up the eastern side of the enclosure close to, but not on, its the northern corner. The enclosure ditch was encountered here as a feature with a slightly different fill from the natural. It appeared that the ditch had been partly re-filled and re-cut. It also appears that there was a period when the ditch had become partly filled but the fill remained open leading to the fill surface being compacted. We were also interested in why the oak tree appeared to be on a mound but found no evidence to help us in this.
Work commencing in Trench 1
Trench 2 was L-shaped and designed to pick up the western and southern alignments of the enclosure, which it did it two locations as predicted. The southern ditch was partially sectioned. It had a much more loamy fill than in Trench 1 and the finds evidence appeared to be later.
We are currently analysing the finds from these excavations and hope to do more work here comprising:-
Text and Images
Chris Hall
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Quay Street, Scarborough - Autumn 2005
Over the turn of the year 2005 -2006 we carried out archaeological investigations at this important site in Quay Street. The excavation report will be available soon.
The site is at the corner of Parkins Lane and Quay St behind The Golden Ball pub. It is known to have been occupied until the 1920s by a 14th century timber framed house, which is illustrated in our publications A Guide to Historic Scarborough or, for more detail, The Archaeology of Medieval Scarborough. Latterly the site was occupied by a brick garage on a concrete base but this has now been removed.
23 Quay Street as photographed in the 19th century: the timber framing is clearly visible on the end elevation
The owner took off most of the concrete base under archaeological supervision and this showed the site was occupied by an infilled cellar which is consistent with what is at the Three Mariners along the street. Under archaeological supervision the owner cleared out the cellar of its fill and this showed that the wall alongside Parkins Lane was the stone base wall for the timber frame building which had existed above – this is an important survival. There was also a stone cross wall which seems to have been a partition wall within the building.
Following clearance of the cellar we were able to lift the floor a put down trenchers. One trench was at the back of the site against the brick cellar wall and the other flanked the stone cross wall. Both these showed that the cellar was built off sea sand which is what we also found at the Three Mariners. The sand contained medieval pottery of the 13th or 14th centuries which would be consistent with the date we think the timber frame was. Although the pottery was in the sea deposited sand, it was not water worn showing that it had been dumped not long before the building was put up – perhaps the sand was added to give a level base.
A large amount of iron was found and we think some industrial process such as nail making went on here.
Finally in the south west corner there was much later structure which we think was for boiling crabs.
Text and Images
Chris Hall
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Falsgrave Park Lower Well House - Summer 2005
As part of the Falsgrave Project, investigations are being carried out, with help from the Friends of Falsgrave Park, into a structure in the north-east corner of Falsgrave Park.
The structure we have uncovered is built in brick with an arched roof, although the arch was partially demolished a few years ago (this has actually helped us get into the structure). It was rumoured that the structure was an ice house or an air raid shelter but we were sceptical of these.
The building contains two cisterns, divided by a low brick wall. There is an inlet conduit in the western wall which is of two phases and a lead pipe leads out at the east end. During recent heavy rain the conduit was flowing and the cisterns filled up.
The area now occupied by Falsgrave Park was important to the development of the town – it was where in the 14th century the Franciscan friars tapped the springs to provide a water supply.
There were two ‘Franciscan Springs’ or well heads. We think the small stone building at the top of the Park was on the site of the second of these, dating from 1339 and that the brick building we have uncovered is on the site of the first Franciscan Spring of 1319. The thin bricks seem to be of 17th century date and this would be consistent with documented improvements to the water supply made in the first half of the 17th century. The lead pipe would date from this period – but we think the stone floor is much earlier and is possibly a fragment of the original 1319 Spring Head.
Text and Images
Chris Hall
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The Pentecostal Church - Easter 2005
Over the Easter weekend the Society carried out an excavation inside Scarborough's disused Pentecostal church which is awaiting redevelopment. Initial comments on the dig from Trevor Pearson:
Medieval features consisted of two interconnecting gullies at the south end of the site (the end furthest from the door). These were only around 0.1m deep and contained traces of small timber posts in the form of organic stains. There was also a larger posthole. Most likely these gullies mark the position of two interconnecting fence (or perhaps a small timber building) in the back yard of a medieval house fronting on to St Sepulchre street.
Why didn't we find more medieval remains? Well, it looks as though the site was leveled when the Pentecostal Church was built in the 19th century. This is probably when most of the medieval remains on the site were destroyed.
However...... if there had been any medieval pits on the site like those we excavated on the outside of the church in 2003 some traces would have survived, but we found nothing. This is significant and must mean that by crossing from the outside of the church into the interior we have moved into the back yard of a different medieval property. Evidently, none of the medieval owners of the property now occupied by the Pentecostal Church bothered to dig pits in their back yard!
The only other features we found are post-medieval and consist of a large oval shallow pit at the north end of the site (the end nearest to the door) which could have been a tree hole or the base of a garden feature when this part of the site was open ground, .....or it might have been to do with the building of the Pentecostal church or the previous chapel on the site. In other words, we don't really know what the pit was for!
We also found a large area had been dug away along the east side of the site and filled with loose soil. We suspect this is where burials have taken place in the 18th or 19th century associated with the church or the earlier chapel.
In summary then, though most of the medieval deposits appear to have been destroyed 150 years ago, comparison of the 2003 excavation and the present dig indicates that the east side of the Pentecostal church is on the line of a medieval property boundary. This is the first time we have been able to prove the continuity of a property boundary from medieval times to the present in Scarborough using excavation evidence.
It is disappointing that more did not turn up given all the hard work put in to digging out the trenches, but it has still provided useful evidence.
Text
Trevor Pearson
Images
Nick Kemp
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FRIARGATE, SCARBOROUGH - 2005
The Society recently commenced a research excavation on a piece of open ground near to the playground of Friarage School, opposite the Public Market Hall. The site is of particular importance as it is close to, or on the line of, the old borough defences which consisted of a moat, with rampart and wall behind. The alignment of the town moat was located in 1989 at 1-3 Leading Post Street, which is on the opposite side of St Sepulchre Street to the present site. It is thought that there may have been a gate through the wall at this point.
Additionally, the site now occupied by Friarage School was once occupied by the Franciscan Friars. Very little evidence of their friary has been found.
It is hoped that the excavation will cast further light on the alignment of the town defences; or on the precinct of the Franciscan Friars; or on what type of settlement activity there was behind the town wall.
Text
Chris Hall
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The Springfield Excavation - 2004
This is a site where the Society was very active in 1997-1998. We re-visited starting with a full week during February 2004 and then over several long weekends until July. Our work was in advance of the building of more houses. We excavated six trenches.
Trenches 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 were put down close to previous Trench 10 to further investigate the known archaeology in the lower area. We particularly wanted to investigate the size and width of a known north-south wall and the extent of survival of a paved area. In trenches 12 to 14 what we found, working from east to west, were a stone cobble surface; a wall; a stone slab surface the same as in former Trench 10 and another wall previously discovered in Trench 10 To the west of the wall a rubble cross wall and a loamy deposit containing entirely medieval pottery were revealed.
In Trenches 16 and 17 we found a much more complex series of features comprising the same wall and slabs. Below the slabs were a further series of slabs, a wall drain and a spreader foundation to the wall which was of very substantial construction standing nearly 2 metres high. A ‘cistern’ was found to be inset into the floor. Trench 17 contained a further wall at right angles to the wall in Trench 10/16 and a substantial stone structure tentatively interpreted as a buttress. Clearly there has been a very substantial series of buildings on this site whose function we do not yet understand – they may be related to the nearby Franciscan Friary; to the milling which is thought to have taken place on the site or to an industrial or commercial use. We do not know which parts of the structure represent the inside of a building and which the outside.
Trench 15 was put down on the upper level of the site. Unfortunately the size and location of the trench was restricted due to use for off-street parking – ideally the trench should have been larger and a further trench put down.
We found two phases of stone wall, separated by a layer of clay. The upper phase was interpreted as being a wall associated with the almshouses, Taylor’s Free Dwellings, which existed on the site. The lower wall was found to be sitting on a mid brown loamy clay containing entirely medieval pottery and interpreted as a relict ground surface upon which the wall sat.
Palaeoecology Research Services have carried out environmental analysis of the organic material from Trench 16 thanks to funding from the Local Heritage Initiative.
We are currently carrying out analysis of the finds from the site (including 43kg of pottery) and hope to publish our report soon.
Text
Chris Hall- Director, Springfield Excavation
Images
Geoff Wood
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Get involved - now!
If you are interested in getting involved in fieldwork, contact Chris Hall by e-mail scarborough.archaeology@btinternet.com or telephone 01723 354237
See the excavations database to find out about excavations carried out over the past 20 years.
Individual reports are published on many excavations. See the publications page for more information.
To find out about current fieldwork contact the Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society's Projects Officer:
Chris Hall
Projects Officer SAHS
PO Box 378
Scarborough
YO12 4WS
telephone:01723 354237
email: scarborough.archaeology@btinternet.com
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