York Historic Environment Record

As a condition of Scheduled Monument Consent the excavation of 2.2m x 2m x 0.3m deep trench was excavated for the foundation plinth for the statue removed from the east end of York Minster. The existing limestone sett path, which used stone from the Minster, were removed and shown to be set on a bed of dark ash. At a depth of 15cm a well compacted surface of gravel and sand was exposed as well as the cut for a modern service trench (40-50cm wide). From 0.15m-0.30m produced further evidence for the gravel surface and more extensive deposit of brick and tile fragments with some small limestone rubble. The gravel surface is thought to be associated with the former carriage drive for Gray's Court shown on the 1852 Ordnance Survey, and different patches of sand and gravel indicated episodes of repair. Subsquent ground works in August recorded no archaeological deposits during remodelling of the flower beds.