York Historic Environment Record

From November 2003 to February 2004 York Archaeological Trust conducted an archaeological evaluation at Heslington East, Heslington, York. The site lies some 3km to the south-east of York City centre close to Heslington village and incorporates within it part of a glacial moraine and also part of the low lying Vale of York basin. This evaluation involved the excavation of 115 trenches, the siting of which was determined by a series of geophysical surveys undertaken from September 2003 to February 2004. The geophysical surveys had identified a number of areas and features of potential archaeological interest and significance. The geophysical survey built on earlier work which consisted of several detailed desk-top studies and a campaign of field walking. The evaluation was carried out for Casella Stanger for the University of York. Three areas of high archaeological significance (Areas A1-A3) were identified as well as seven areas of secondary significance (B1-7). The archaeology within these areas dated from the Neolithic through to the Anglian period and included a peat bog, possible Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement, an Iron Age round house within an enclosure with associated waterlogged deposits, Iron Age and Roman field systems, a series of Iron Age enclosures associated with two springheads with good organic preservation, a probable Roman villa with a heated bathroom in its north-west corner and a furnace base to supply the heat in the north-east corner, a Roman road leading up to the probable building, a further Roman structure of cobbles and boulders, and possible areas where Anglian settlement may exist. No evidence for the use of the site during the Anglo- Scandinavian period was recovered. During the medieval, post- medieval and modern periods the site has been used for agriculture, and where the land has not been protected by thick layers of colluvium (hillwash), aeolian (windblown) sands and plough drag, the original ground surface has been truncated to varying degrees by medieval ridge and furrow, modern ploughing and subsoiling activity. A backfilled post-medieval pond, with good organic preservation as well as a modern quarry hole were also recovered. Artefacts were not numerous, but included material dated to the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Anglian, medieval, post medieval and modern periods. NMR Information: 115 trenches excavated in advance of proposed development, recording significant prehistoric and Roman activity. Accession no: YORYM:2002.569. Information from OASIS Online Form. NMR Microfilm Index; PRN: 10483.