St Leonard's Excavation — the second season

Week 6 17-21 July 2002

Russell Marwood entertains visitors on National Archaeology Day.

Another busy week! National Archaeology Day was marked on site at the weekend with an exciting range of activities, ably organised by Trust stalwart Russell Marwood, which attracted over 500 visitors. There were archaeological quizzes and war-games, and displays of goods and demonstrations of weapons by Comitatus, a 20-strong York-based group of Roman re-enactors.

The site is transformed for the weekend with Roman stalls and tent

Those in York may like to visit a free exhibition about the training excavation which has just opened in the adjacent library. It has been organised by placement student Kathy Allday, a business student from Leeds University, and Finds Department volunteers Liddy Dalesman and Laurence Shaw, with support from YAT staff. There is a splendid display of artefacts excavated at St Leonard's last year and information panels on the excavation and how to become involved with YAT activities. The exhibition is open Mon-Sat from 09.30 until 31 August 2002.

Esther Londono drawing the undercroft wall

Trainees Gail Hansen and Brenda Doyle happily sieving in Trench 1

Back on site, the weather proved most uncooperative this week! Finally defeated by alternating strong sun which baked the site or rain which made excavation impossible, a cover was rigged up ready to be pulled across, Wimbledon-style, as required. No expense is spared for the comfort of our trainees! The trainees were joined on Thursday by staff from the ARC all of whom greatly relished the opportunity to experience work on site. The building recording course has been proving very enjoyable for trainees: one described it as 'about as good as digging' which is high praise!

Trench 1

Small layers continued to be peeled back from the Roman turf rampart this week, yielding Samian pottery, Roman glass and bone. There were some signs of burning, including charred bones, within these Roman layers.

Saxaquadrata limestone facing blocks loose and in situ on the Roman interval tower wall

The same saxaquadrata facing blocks can be seen on the multangular tower near the site, here complete with Comitatus re-enactors and Roman coffins!

It seems that the construction cut for the wall of the Roman interval tower has now been reached. Some splendid saxaquadrata limestone facing blocks had been uncovered on the south-east wall of the Roman interval tower, and loose saxaquadrata stones have now been excavated in the adjacent area. This may mean that the stones were dismantled for re-use and could represent continued occupation on the site when the interval tower fell into disuse.

The dump deposits adjacent to the drain are still being excavated and continue to produce medieval pottery and bone. It seems that the first layer of such deposits has now been reached. Inside the covered area of the undercroft a mysterious deep hole has been discovered, which seems to be structural as it is very regular in shape.

Trench 3

Burrowing provided a puzzle this week! A series of animal burrowing tunnels, maybe rat or mole, maybe post-medieval or later, was found in the north-west end of the trench, initially perplexing excavators who had to differentiate post-hole from animal hole. A stone structure excavated in this area may belong to the foundations of a hospital wall or may simply be demolition material. The hearth began to be removed, a complicated task as many discrete layers had to be meticulously taken away one by one. The purpose of what seemed to be a rectangular stake hole, by the hearth, is something of a mystery. As usual at this stage, little seems straightforward!

Site director Kurt Hunter-Mann introduces Week 6 trainees to Trench 3. Note rigged-up trench cover!