Urban Structures & Defences

Lloyds Bank, Pavement and Other Sites

by PV Addyman and RA Hall

with a Survey of Defences North-East of the Ouse

The area of central York between the Rivers Foss and Ouse has, over the past hundred years, became something of a locus classicus for the archaeological study of the Viking Age town in Britain.

Artefacts of 9th to 11th century date have often been found during building construction in this part of the city. As early as 1900 observers began recognising and recording the well-preserved remains of buried timber structures, evidently of the Anglo-Scandinavian period. Latterly, archaeological observers have come to realise that the deep anaerobic deposits to be found in many parts of this area, with their excellently preserved organic remains and metalwork, began to grow up at the beginning of what may loosely be termed York’s Viking period and largely accumulated between the late 9th and the early 12th century. The area therefore contained an exceptional archaeological resource, and any changes there which involved deep excavation into the ground presented an outstanding opportunity not only to learn more of Jorvik, the Viking Age predecessor of medieval York, but also to study the nature and growth of the English town at a period that may have been formative and certainly was one of vigorous expansion and prosperity.

Info: 126pp, 57 illustrations
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