York Historic Environment Record

Project Design for unrealised research project into peat deposits at Sat Pauls Green Holgate. The watching brief recorded unusually well preserved peat deposits at the south end of the site. Finds recovered from these deposits indicated prehistoric activity in the vicinity, a particularly rare find close to the city of York. Extensive deposits a little to the north suggested an attempt to raise the ground level during the Roman period. The evidence from a borehole survey largely confirmed the watching brief findings. The peat deposits appeared to be extensive but irregular with two concentrations, one in the area designated as public open space and the other beneath the Roman levelling deposits. It appeared that the peat was threatened by drying out as a result of the disturbance by drain trenching. The project design addressed these issues.