York Historic Environment Record

A number of small mounds have been identified at the northern end of the strip of land running between Low Moor Allotments and The Retreat. These are arranged in two parallel lines of four evenly spaced low mounds, about 3m long and 1.5m wide, which are positioned at regular 10m intervals, and aligned at right angles to the slope. A mound of similar proportions lies 6m to the south of the eastern line of mounds, and another mound about 5.5m long and 4m wide, is situated 20m down slope of the western line, although slightly out of alignment to it. The regular arrangement of these mounds suggests a military construction, and they are possibly the remains of targets for a rifle range. They are difficult to date but it is possible that they are connected with the military training activities that occurred on the Stray during the First and Second World Wars. Alternatively, they may date to the late 19th century when the army barracks was first constructed. These mounds are clearly no earlier than the 19th century as they overlie the Napoleonic ploughing in this area. Their relationship to this ploughing suggests that the furrows were still prominent features when the mounds were constructed, as the latter are positioned along the lines of the furrows.