Analysis of archaeological records from York offers the prospect of enhancing understanding of the flood history of the river Ouse. It is probable that seasonal flooding has been a concern for the inhabitants of York since the first major settlement there was established by the Romans in the 1st century AD. However, claims made about the extent and impact of floods between the 5th and 11th centuries AD need to be treated with extreme caution, as they appear to be based on the misinterpretation of sediments encountered in archaeological investigations.
We are on surer ground from the medieval period onwards; documentary records indicate a number of severe floods, notably in AD 1315, AD 1564 and AD 1614. These probably correspond with climatic fluctuations associated with the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ and ‘Little Ice Age’ although these natural process were probably exacerbated by the constriction of the river channel within the city, as land was reclaimed from the river in response to increasing demand for land and buildings within the urban core.
More recently, studies of both documentary and geomorphological evidence indicate that the first half of the 20th century was a period of relatively low flood frequency and magnitude in the Yorkshire Ouse basin; since about 1940, however, the number and severity of floods has increased. Whilst climate change is still considered the primary driving mechanism of this change, the generation of rainfall run-off to the rivers of the Ouse basin has been affected by increased moorland drainage (‘gripping’) and changing land-use practices, particularly overgrazing of pasture and intensified arable production.
Excavations by York Archaeological Trust during the past 30 years have revealed nearly 40 sites within the historic city with evidence for flooding or past river management features. The York Archive Gazetteer contains details of all of these sites and where they exist access to the original site records. The links below provide access to a list and interactive map showing these sites.
Modern-day residents of the Vale need no reminding of the impact of its rivers on their lives; York itself, and towns and villages on the river Ouse to the south such as Selby, Cawood and Barlby regularly experience flooding, with particularly severe events experienced in 1982 and 2000. The ongoing efforts to contain the floodwaters of the Ouse catchment, and minimise their effects through embankment and flow-control, represent the latest phase of interaction between the people of the Vale and the rivers which had such an influence on the physical, economic and social landscapes which they have inhabited.
