Trainees trowelling in Trench 1 with archaeologist Ben Reeves

Bookings for the 2002 season at St Leonard's continue to be received, including a number of repeat bookings from last year. Further information is now available about courses on offer (see links on the left panel). There are taster courses for those who wish to gain a feel for archaeological work before getting more deeply involved (quite literally - the tasters will take place in a shallow trench!), and one- or two-week fieldwork modules for those who have irredeemably caught the excavation bug, working alongside YAT's excavation staff in the deeper trenches.

NEW!
The following week-long courses will also be available during the course of the excavation:

• Processing and analysis of finds and environmental samples. Including much hands-on work, dealing with the finds as they are recovered from the St Leonard's excavations.

• Building recording. Largely involving the recording and interpretation of the upstanding remains of the medieval hospital and the adjacent city wall.

These courses can be taken individually or together, or even as a triple package along with an excavation module. Talks and visits to enrich the experience will form part of all courses. As long as you are over 16 and interested in archaeological work, there will be something for you - so book now to reserve your place!

It's not all work - trainees enjoy welcome tea-break

Of course the aim of all archaeological work is to illuminate the past, and this update reproduces an interpretation of the Dissolution written by Dr Pam Graves, an expert in medieval glass, who recently published a wonderful book on the subject (see our publications page, AY 11/3). Dr Graves originally wrote the article, which refers to 'the great hospital of St Leonard', for YAT's publication Archaeology in York: Interim (Vol.16 no.4, pp.30-38, 1991), a publication now entitled Yorkshire Archaeology Today.

The Nun's Story

The year is 1538, and a former nun from the priory of St Clement's, Clementhorpe, has agreed to escort our readers through the city of York, now in the midst of the suppression of its religious houses…

“Until two years ago, I was one of eight nuns living according to the Rule of St Benedict at the priory dedicated to St Clement, outside York. In August 1536 our house was placed in the hands of the King's Commissioners. For over 400 years gentlewomen lived enclosed from the world. Now a man to whom we had leased a fish garth, William Maunsell, has taken over part of the priory, which served as our common home, for his own private dwelling. He uses our buildings, dovecots, gardens and orchards; all our rights have been transferred to him. I do not think our buildings will remain standing long; at other religious houses they have divided them up as private quarters or stables, or even destroyed the stonework, building limekilns to reduce the limestone walls to powder.

We nuns, and our prioress, were given a pension and released into a world of change, turbulence and uncertainty. Four years ago the Northern Convocation declared that the Bishop of Rome had no greater jurisdiction in the city than any other foreign bishop, and the archbishop preached against foreign papal supremacy in the Minster. We should have seen it all presaged when the aldermen of the city corporation closed down seven chantries to reallocate funds.

Although I doubt that I can see the city as some of the lay people might, let me take you on a short tour, and describe to you the fate of my brothers and sisters in religion. t us go to the corner of Baile Hill on the south bank of the river Ouse. On the opposite bank stands the deserted Franciscan Friary, a precinct filled with beautiful buildings. The church stood near Castlegate and I am told that it had at least four altars and a crossway, and perhaps there was a walking space such as is common in other friary churches. We could see the octagonal spire from our precinct with its sister spire on the parish church of St Mary Castlegate, nearby.

Walking past the Old Baile we pass the site of the crane on Skeldergate, which was used for loading goods on and off the boats which came up from Hull and the East coast ports. They are far fewer now with the decline of the textile industry and fewer ships come from foreign lands. We can cut up Kirk Lane to Bishophill, past the two parish churches dedicated to Saint Mary, to the little lane next to Holy Trinity Priory, where our Benedictine brothers served Our Lord. We were so shocked when it was leased out to a layman, because we were sure that it earned enough annual income from its estates to warrant exemption - but no. After the so called Pilgrimage of Grace, the monks were allowed to stay on and it is only now that they are having to leave. Most of the religious houses are being leased to gentry from the country round about. The city merchants have their eyes on the properties too.

If we return to Micklegate and follow the route of the mystery plays, we can glimpse the towers and roofs of the Dominican Priory down Gregory Lane. All the houses of friars in York have been surrendered to the Crown. These, the Black Friars, were great preachers and they built spacious aisled churches so that all should be able to hear the Word of God and watch the Holy Mysteries unobstructed. After the discontent and rising of 1536 one friar, John Pickering, was hanged at Tyburn.

As we go down Micklegate to the bridge we can see the spire of All Saints' parish church. It too echoes the octagonal spire of its Dominican neighbour. There was an anchoress immured in a cell to the rear; at one time, we too had a Holy woman living at Clementhorpe. Crossing the bridge, I wish that we had time to stop for prayer in St William's chapel, but it would not be considered right for me to tarry in the streets too long. I should much prefer that we take a boat down the river.”

Click here to read part 2 of the nun's story...

Post script

Those of you interested in the history and layout of St Leonard's medieval hospital might like to consult the following publications:

Cullum, P.H., 1991. Cremetts and Corrodies: Care of the Poor and Sick at St Leonard's Hospital, York, in the Middle Ages, Borthwick Paper 79 (York)

Cullum, P.H., 1993. St Leonard's Hospital, York: the spatial and social analysis of an Augustinian hospital, pp.11-18; Gilchrist, G. and Mytum, H. (eds.), Advances in Monastic Archaeology, BAR British Series 227 (Oxford)

Sloane, B., 2000. 'St Leonard's Hospital, York', Medieval Life 14, 14-20