York Historic Environment Record

RSK was commissioned by Northern Gas Networks to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the installation of a replacement gas pipe which extends along Victor Street, York (NGR 460083, 451329). The area was identified as having a high archaeological potential due to the presence of York City Walls, a scheduled monument, at the southern end of the road and the potential for Roman, Viking and Medieval archaeological deposits beneath the road. 24 pits were excavated in total to permit the replacement of the gas pipe. Post-Medieval deposits were encountered, the majority of which contained redeposited artefacts which had been previously disturbed and used as backfill after the installation of the original gas pipe and other services within the road. A dark clay-rich cultivation horizon dating to the post-Medieval era with ceramic fragments was observed in a limited number of pits and a flagstone beneath the tarmac was observed in Pit 9 which may indicate an earlier road surface. These were the only archaeological deposits observed in situ. Two masonry blocks from Pit 9 are conceivably the only indication of archaeological remains earlier than the post-medieval period. These may be related to the former Medieval church which stood to the north east of this pit before being demolished in 1962. The stones were located on top of the earlier gas pipe and were therefore out of their original context. A number of intact un-frogged bricks were located along the side of and to the back of 14-24 Victor Street, a modern housing block which stands on an area of former Victorian terraced housing. These are related to the demolished Victorian terraced houses. No further archaeological work is considered appropriate in connection to the gas pipe replacement.