York Historic Environment Record

EXCAVATION Queen's Hotel, 1-9 Micklegate. Excavations in advance of the construction of the hotel including basement car park. The excavations took place following the demolition of the former Queen’s Hotel. Occupation appears to have commenced in the early 2nd century; earliest in the sequence was a ditch cutting into natural clay, which became infilled with organic material which incorporated pottery and leatherworking debris. Nearby were contemporary surface deposits. This phase was followed, in the later 2nd century AD by the building of larger structure of uncertain function, which was demolished in the 3rd century AD. Following demolition the area was levelled up by dumps of clay and rubble and a new structure dating to the mid-late 3rd century AD. The structural remains of this building were very well preserved, with walls surviving to 3.5m high and 2.2m thick. They were pierced by three tile-lined openings, and the interior contained a sequence of opus signinum floors. It has been suggested that this substantial structure is part of late Roman bath-house. This building continued to be used well into the 4th century AD, with a structural alterations including the infilling of the openings taking place c.AD360. At some point after this, the structure was demolished and there was a further levelling phase. A sequence of four burials was inserted into this infill; these all produced Anglian C14 dates. Nearby were a set of regularly spaced post-holes seemingly comprising a 10m long timber structure aligned on the Roman street. A number of pits also cut from the same level containing Anglian sherds. The chronology for the sequence running from the demolition of the Roman structure to the insertion of the pits and burials into the levelling layer remained unclear to the excavators; in the archive report phasing diagram this sequence were ascribed a broad late 4th-9th century AD date. Museum Acc code: 1988-1989.17 RCHME Microfilm Index PRN: 2287. NMR sources: Interim : bulletin of the York Archaeological Trust 13.4/1989/1-12 Interim : bulletin of the York Archaeological Trust 14.1/1989/13-21 Interim : bulletin of the York Archaeological Trust 14.2/1989/3-16 York Archaeological Trust annual report /1989-1990/25-26