YORYM 1997.102 - LITTLE STONEGATE/DAVYGATE, YORK

 

Ceramic Building Materials

 

S Garside-Neville

 

Roman Material

Roman material is represented by a few brick fragments, and some flue tile.  One of the fragments of flue tile is combed, a method which is thought to come into use around the early 2nd century.  The presence of flue tile in particular points to a hypocaust (Roman central heating) in the area.

 

Medieval Material

Medieval material is strongly represented.  There are a few fragments of early medieval material, included angled curved tile, which may appear as early as the 11th century.  However, the bulk of the material could be dated to between the 13th and 16th century.  Peg tile is well represented, in various fabrics (one of which is often associated with 14th century material), some of which may have a white slip.  Much of the peg tile has square or diamond shaped pegholes, with only a few circular or irregular pegholes.  There are two examples of nib tile, which is typical of York sites.  These tiles may have been used as a quick and easy way to patch roofs.

 

Crested ridge tiles are represented, though the fragments tend to be abraded.  This gives the impression that the crested ridge tile were on the roof of a building for some time before finally falling to earth.

 

Bricks are strongly represented, in particular the bricks of narrow thickness.  These bricks tend to have a breadth of over 127mm, and a thickness of under 50mm.  They frequently have indented borders and medium to coarse moulding sand.  These bricks are thought to have been used as infilling for timber-framed buildings.  A few examples have vitrified headers or stretchers.

 

There are two examples of floor tile.  These probably date to between the 14th and 16th century.  One of the examples is very roughly made, and rather atypical in appearance.  The other is more recognisable as possibly being one of the types of tile that may have been imported from the Low Countries.

 

Quite a few fragments of the medieval material have been sooted, or perhaps burnt.  A good quantity of the material has mortar on broken edges, which probably means that it has been reused.

 

Post Medieval Material

Post medieval material is represented by bricks and some roof tiles.  There is also an example of a Victorian dust pressed tile.  Some of the bricks have worn surfaces and have obviously been used as flooring.

 

Other material

Daub occurs in several forms.  There are small samples of a a crumbly daub.  There are also more examples of a grass tempered fabric, which is quite hard, and seems to be well-shaped to the point of being brick.  These pieces tend to have flat surfaces, and may well have been fired, which would mean that they are actually brick.

 

There are a few fragments of micaceous sandstone which may have been parts of roof tile, but as there are no pieces with nailholes it cannot be assumed that they were.  There are also fragments of limestone.

 

Discussion

This sample makes a valuable contribution to the study of ceramic building materials in York, particularly as it has a good variety of peg tile fabrics.    It contrasts with the earlier phase of excavation on Davygate (also numbered 1997.102) in that the angled curved tile type  is not so well represented.

 

It is recommended that the sample is fully recorded by an appropriately experienced specialist.  After this, much of the sample could be discarded.

 

 

 

Context Listing

Context      Form/s                                    Date                     Spot

                                                                   range                   date

5000            Pantile, Pot (Staffs), Plain,         12-19th                  19th

                             Plain (glaze), Plain

                             (reused), Sewer/Drain

                             pipe, Dust-pressed tile,

                             Pot (x 2), Curved/ridge,

                             Floor tile (brown-green

                             glaze, W93T25, cut

                             edges, overfired,

                             waster), Brick (T40,

                             upper surface worn,

                             used as flooring),

                             Brick (W109T57, reused,

                             sooted, slop moulded,

                             turning mark), Brick

                             (sooted, reused, T42,

                             worn stretcher face),

                             Brick (T34, coarse

                             moulding sand),

                             Brick (T45, vitrified

                             header, overfired,

                             reused), Brick (L230

                             W114T50, worn upper

                             surface, sharp arrises,

                             turning mark), Brick

                             (W216T47, sharp

                             arrises, reused, fine

                             dense fabric, ?machine

                             made), Brick (T30,

                             reused, indented borders,

                             coarse moulding sand)

5004            Brick (W122T34, coarse           14-15th                  14-15th

                             moulding sand, indented

                             border)

5006            Plain, Peg (circular hole, tally     13-16th                  13-16th

                             mark), Plain (burnt edge)

5008            Brick (T40, overfired, coarse     14-19th                  19th

                             moulding sand, Floor

                             tile (T35, worn upper

                             surface, quarry tile)

5010            Peg (square peghole, mortar)     13-16th                  13-16th

5012            Brick (sample, L225W110T71,  18-19th                  18-19th

                             slop moulded, abraded,

                             turning mark)

5013            Brick (sample, L235W110T55,  18-19th                  18-19th

                             white fabric)

5017            Brick (?post med), Brick (T34,  14-18th                  14-18th

                             slop moulded, ?worn

                             top surface), Brick

                             (T46, worn top surface),

                             Brick (T32, reused,

                             coarse moulding sand),

                             Brick

5018            Brick (L230W108T48, sooted   15-19th                  15-19th                           stretcher), Plain (?post

                             18th)

5020            Brick (W130T44, indented        14-16th                  14-16th

                             border, coarse moulding

                             sand), Brick (W112T40,

                             upper surface worn,

                             mortar, reused)

5021            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

5025            Peg (square peghole), Plain,      13-16th                  13-16th

                             Micaceous sandstone

                             (burnt)

5026            Plain, Brick (medieval)              14-16th                  14-16th

5048            Micaceous sandstone (T8),       13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain

5049            Plain (?slip), Plain                     13-16th                  13-16th

5050            Brick (W120T52, slop              14-16th                  14-16th

                             moulded, reused), Brick

                             (T65, slop moulded)

5051            Brick (L232W110T48, ?slop     15-16th                  15-16th

                             moulded, mortar, reused),

                             Brick (L227W113T54,

                             sharp arrises, turning

                             mark), Brick (W100T56,

                             reused)

5052            Plain (?reused), Peg (diamond   13-16th                  13-16th

                             peghole), Plain

5053            Brick  (T35, coarse moulding     ?Roman                ?Roman

                             sand, trimmed, ?Roman)

5055            Plain, Plain (overfired), Brick     13-16th                  14-16th

                             (T32, coarse moulding

                             sand), Plain (?slip,

                             14th)

5056            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

5061            Brick (T48, fine moulding          13-?16th                ?14-16th

                             sand), Brick (T50,

                             burnt, mortar, ?slop

                             moulded), Brick,

                             Brick (burnt), Peg

                             (circular peghole)

5062            Plain, Plain (?slip), Plain            13-16th                  13-16th

                             (mortar)      

5064            Brick (W127T40), Brick, Plain, 13-16th                  14-16th

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Daub, Brick T32), Plain,

                             Brick (grass tempered),

                             Plain (slip, 14th), Brick

                             (T35, overfired, coarse

                             moulding sand), Plain

                             (mortar)

5065            Plain, Plain (tally)                      13-16th                  13-16th

5066            Plain (mortar), Peg (diamond     13-16th                  13-16th

                             peghole)

5069            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

5070            Plain (mortar, 14th), Plain,         13-?18th                14-?18th

                             Brick (fine-medium

                             moulding sand, ?post

                             med)

5071            Peg (mortar)                             13-16th                  13-16th

5072            Roman flue tile (combed,          2nd-16th                13-16th

                             mortar), Plain (mortar,

                             reused), Plain, ?Pot

                             (glazed)

5075            Plain (reused), Plain (?slip),       13-16th                  14-16th

                             Peg (square peghole,

                             mortar), Plain, Brick

                             (T40, fine moulding

                             sand)

5078            Plain (mortar)                            13-16th

5079            Micaceous sandstone (T18)      13-?16th                14-?16th

                             Brick (T52, reused,

                             fine moulding sand),

                             Plain, Brick

                             (vitrified)

5081            Plain, Plain (abraded), Brick      13-16th                  14-16th

                             (?med)

5082            Brick (T38, coarse moulding     13-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Plain (mortar),

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Plain (reused), Plain

                             (pawprint - ?cat)

5085            Brick (W128T42, reused,          13-16th                  14-16th

                             medium moulding sand),

                             Plain, Brick (W127T38,

                             medium moulding sand,

                             mortar, reused)

5088            Plain, Plain (T20, ?slip)             13-16th                  13-16th

5092            Brick (T50, ?Roman)                ?Roman-16th   ?Roman-16th

                             Plain, Peg (irregular

                             hole, not pierced

                             through) Sandstone

                             (degraded)

5093            Brick (T50, fine-medium           13-?18th                ?16-18th

                             moulding sand, ?post

                             med), Plain (sooted),

                             Plain (mortar), Plain

5094            Brick (W125T29, overfired,      13-16th                  14-16th

                             mortar, reused, coarse

                             medium sand), Plain

5095            Plain, Plain (mortar, 14th),         13-16th                  14-16th

                             Pot (glazed x 2), Daub,

                             Brick (T44, medium

                             moulding sand), Plain

5097            Brick (W124T36, medium         13-16th                  14-16th

                             moulding sand, indented

                             border, mortar), Plain

5098            Peg (square peghole, reused),    13-16th                  13-16th

                             Peg (square peghole,

                             punch impression), Plain,

                             (reused), Plain

5099            Plain (sooted), Plain (?slip)        13-16th                  13-16th

5101            Plain, Plain (mortar), Brick        13-16th                  14-16th

                             (T31, coarse moulding

                             sand, indented border)

5107            Peg (square peghole, mortar),    13-16th                  13-16th

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Plain (W215T14), Plain

                             (sooted)

5108            Brick (W130T30, medium         14-16th                  14-16th

                             moulding sand, indented

                             border), Brick (W126

                             T40, medium moulding

                             sand, mortar, vitrified

                             header), Brick (L240

                             W114T60, slop moulded

5109            Peg (square peghole, mortar,     13-16th                  13-16th

                             reused), Plain (mortar)

5116            Brick (T30, medium moulding   14-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Brick (abraded)

5121            Brick (T37), Plain (mortar,        13-16th                  14-16th

                             reused), Daub, Brick,

                             Brick (very abraded,

                             coarse moulding sand),

                             Plain, Plain

5124            Brick (coarse moulding sand)    14-16th                  14-16th

5133            Plain (?slip)                               13-16th                  13-16th

5135            Plain, Plain (mortar, reused),      13-16th                  14-16th

                             Brick, Brick (burnt, fine

                             moulding sand)

5142            Brick (T46, top surface burnt,   ?Med                    ?Med

                             bevelled edges, ?hearth

                             brick, very coarse

                             moulding sand, Brick

                             (T50, details as above)

5145            Plain (indented border)              13-16th                  13-16th

5146            Brick (T48), Brick, Plain           13-16th                  14-16th

                             (mortar), Plain, Brick

                             (abraded, coarse

                             moulding sand), Brick

                             (T40, coarse moulding

                             sand), Brick (medium

                             moulding sand)

5149            Brick, Brick (W113T47, reused)13-16th                 14-16th

                             Brick (T40), Brick

                             (W118T50), Plain, Plain

                             (reused)

5151            Brick (W128T34, coarse           14-15th                  14-15th

                             moulding sand, indented

                             border)

5152            Ridge (naihole, mortar, reused)  13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain, Plain (?slip)

5155            Plain (14th)                               14-16th                  14-16th

5168            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

5171            Peg (square peghole)                 13-16th                  13-16th

 

5174            Plain, Brick (W124T50, white    13-16th                  14-16th

                             slip, coarse moulding

                             sand  

5176            Plain (overfired), Plain               13-16th                  13-16th

                             (indented border),

                             Plain

6000            Plain (mortar, reused)                13-16th                  13-16th

6002            Brick (?med), Plain                   13-16th                  14-16th

6022            Plain (overfired, ?slip), Plain,     13-16th                  13-16th

6026            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6029            Ridge, Plain, Nib (pushed out,   13-16th                  13-16th

                             one of two nibs), Plain

                             (mortar), Plain (mortar,

                             reused)

6030            Plain, Peg (square peghole),      13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain (mortar), Crested

                             ridge (abraded), Brick

                             (mortar), Brick (T39)

6033            Plain (mortar), Plain, Peg           13-16th                  13-16th

                             (square peghole, mortar)

6034            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6035            Plain, Plain (sooted), Peg          13-16th                  13-16th

                             (square peghole),

                             Plain (mortar, reused)

6037            Plain (burnt)                              13-16th                  13-16th

6039            Plain (mortar, reused), Plain,      13-16th                  14-16th

                             Peg (square peghole,

                             punch impression),

                             Brick (T41, reused,

                             coarse moulding sand

6056            Roman brick                                      Roman                  Roman

6059            Brick (T41), Plain, ?Brick/         14-16th                  14-16th

                             Daub (grass tempered)

6067            Peg (square peghole, mortar)     13-16th                  13-16th

6068            Brick (W123T45, sooted)                   13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain, Brick W121

                             T45, sooted), Plain

                             (sooted)

6070            Nib (one of two, square cut,      13-16th                  13-16th

                             ?applied, on smooth side

                             of tile, mortar), Plain,

                             Plain (reused)

6075            Plain, Brick (abraded, T30,        13-16th                  14-16th

                             reused), Peg (square

                             peghole), Plain (reused),

                             Plain (overfired, mortar),

                             Brick, Brick T46,

                             overfired)

6077            Plain, Plain (mortar), Brick        13-16th                  14-16th

                             (T30), Brick, Brick

                             (overfired, T34),

                             Brick (overfired,

                             T39), Brick (T40),

                             Plain (slip), Brick

                             (T34, grass tempered,

                             daub-like)             

6079            Brick, Plain (?slip), Plain,          13-16th                  14-16th

                             Daub, Brick (W127T45,

                             coarse moulding sand,

                             mortar)

6082            Plain (mortar), Plain (?pawprint)13th-16th               13-16th

6083            Plain, Plain (mortar)                  13-16th                  13-16th

6085            Plain (?14th, indented border),   13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain

6088            Plain, ?Pot                                13-16th                  13-16th

6092            Peg (square peghole, mortar),    12-16th                  14-16th                           Plain (?slip), Brick,

                             Brick (W137T35, coarse

                             moulding sand, indented

                             border), Brick (W130T35,

                             coarse moulding sand,

                             indented border), Brick

                             (T30, coarse moulding

                             sand, indented border),

                             Micaceous sandstone

                             (T16), Brick (W129T35,

                             coarse moulding sand)

                             Peg (square peghole,

                             ?slip), Curved (angled),

                             Plain

6109            Plain (mortar), Peg (square        13-16th                  13-16th

                             peghole), Peg (square

                             peghole, reused)

6122            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6125            Plain, Peg (square peghole),      13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain (?slip)

6140            Peg (diamond peghole,              13-16th                  13-16th

                             W202T13), Plain

6161            Ridge, Plain (mortar), Plain        13-16th                  14-16th

                             (?Slip, 14th), Plain

                             (mortar, reused), Brick

                             (T30), Plain, Plain

                             (sooted), Brick (T38,

                             coarse moulding sand,

                             daub attached, indented

                             border), Plain (?slip),

                             Plain (burnt)

6167            Peg (square peghole, indented   14-16th                  14-16th

                             border, overfired/reduced,

                             14th

6168            Plain, Peg (square peghole,        13-16th                  14-16th

                             14th), Plain (burnt),

                             Plain (mortar)

6169            Plain (mortar, ?nib tile)              13-16th                  13-16th

6170            Plain, Plain (?slip, indented        13-16th                  13-16th

                             border)

6171            Plain, Plain (mortar, reused),      13-16th                  14-16th

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Floor tile (L110W111

                             T23, worn yellow glaze,

                             white slip, ?nailholes,

                             mortar on edges, finely

                             sanded base

6173            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6175            Plain (reused), Peg (square        13-16th                  13-16th

                             peghole, mortar), Plain

                             (mortar)

6179            Brick (W128T35, mortar),         13-16th                  14-16th

                             Brick (W131T40,

                             indented border,

                             coarse moulding sand),

                             Brick (T37,  raindrop

                             impressions), Brick

                             (T37, overfired),

                             Brick (T40, raindrop

                             impressions), Brick,

                             Brick (T45, overfired,

                             reused, coarse moulding

                             sand), Brick (T45,

                             overfired, medium

                             moulding sand, mortar),

                             Plain (mortar, reused),

                             Brick (T39, medium

                             moulding sand), Brick

                             (W121T42, sooted

                             stretcher, medium

                             moulding sand), Brick

                             (T50, reused), Brick

                             (T42, medium moulding

                             sand, burnt), Brick (T44,

                             fine moulding sand,

                             mortar, burnt), Plain,

                             Brick (burnt), Brick

                             (T41, burnt)

6180            Brick (T49, burnt stretcher,       13-16th                  14-16th

                             mortar, reused), Plain

                             (mortar, reused), Plain,

                             Plain (mortar), Peg

                             (square peghole), Plain

                             (indented border), Peg

                             (circular peghole)

6181            Brick (W119T36, coarse           13-16th                  14-16th

                             moulding sand, overfired,

                             Plain, Peg (square

                             peghole)

6183            Plain (mortar), Pot                    13-16th                  13-16th

6188            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6192            Plain, Plain (mortar), Crested     13-16th                  14-16th

                             Ridge (very abraded),

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Plain (slip, 14th), Plain

                             (mortar, indented border),

                             Brick (T39, vitrified,

                             fine moulding sand)

6197            Brick (T29, coarse moulding     14-16th                  14-16th

                             sand

 

 

6201            Brick (T35, medium moulding   13-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Plain (?slip),

                             Plain, Plain (vitrified),

                             Plain (burnt), Plain (14th),

                             Plain (slip, 14th), Plain

                             overfired), Brick (T29,

                             grass tempered), Brick

                             (grass tempered),

                             Brick (abraded, coarse

                             moulding sand), Brick

                             T32, coarse moulding

                             sand)

6202            Brick (?Roman)                        ?Roman                ?Roman

6209            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6210            Brick (T40, medium moulding   13-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Brick (T36,

                             medium moulding sand),

                             Plain, Brick

6211            Brick (T42, fine moulding          13-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Plain (mortar)

6212            Ridge (sooted), Brick (T30),     13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain

6216            Brick (grass tempered)              ?Med                    ?Med

6218            Brick (W127T34, reused),         13-16th                  14-16th

                             Brick (W125T22,

                             reused), Brick (W127

                             T30, mortar), Peg

                             (square peghole),

                             Peg (square peghole,

                             reused), Brick (W120

                             T33, coarse moulding

                             sand, indented border)

6222            Brick (T25, grass tempered),     13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain (reused), Plain,

                             Brick (T30, coarse

                             moulding sand)

6223            Plain                                         13-16th

6224            Pot, Limestone, Peg, Brick        13-16th                  14-16th

                             (T30, coarse moulding

                             sand, ?slip), Peg

                             (diamond peghole),

                             Brick (W120T30, over

                             fired, coarse moulding

                             sand), Plain (mortar),

                             Brick (T34, coarse

                             moulding sand), Brick

                             (grass tempered), Plain

                             (14th), Peg (diamond

                             peghole), Plain (mortar),

                             Plain, Plain (reused),

                             Limestone (T15, roughly

                             shaped, ?roof tile),

                             Brick (T34, coarse

                             moulding sand, sooted),

                             Brick (T34, sooted),

                             Brick (T38), Brick

                             (T33, coarse moulding

                             sand), Plain, ?Daub

                             (grass tempered),

                             Brick (grass tempered,

                             T30), ?Brick

6226            Pot (med), Plain, Plain (?slip),   13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain (14th)

6229            Brick (T35, grass tempered),     13-16th                  14-16th

                             Plain (mortar), Peg

                             (square peghole), Plain,

                             Brick (W127T36)

6234            Plain (mortar), Plain, Peg           Roman-16th          14-16th

                             (square peghole), Brick

                             (T47, fine moulding

                             sand), Roman flue

                             tile (burnt)

6238            Plain, Peg (square peghole),      13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain (mortar), Plain

                             (soot)

6241            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6246            Plain                                         13-16th                  13-16th

6248            Peg (square peghole), Plain       13-16th                  13-16th

6252            Plain, Plain (mortar), Plain         13-16th                  14-16th

                             (14th)

6253            Brick (?post med)                     Post med               Post med

6267            ?Daub (grass tempered)            ?Med                    ?Med

 

 

6269            Peg (square peghole), Plain,      13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain (mortar)

6276            Plain, ?Ridge, ?Flanged (T19)    12-16th                  13-16th

6278            Limestone block (L115W60      Med?                    Med?

                             T48)

6279            Plain (burnt)                              13-16th                  13-16th

6281            Plain (mortar, reused)                13-16th                  13-16th

6289            Brick (T43, medium moulding   13-16th                  14-16th

                             sand), Brick, Plain

6291            Plain, Plain (mortar, reused),      13-16th                  14-16th                           Ridge (mortar, sooted),

                             Peg (square peghole),

                             Plain (sooted), Peg

                             (square peghole, 14th),

                             Brick (burnt), Brick

                             (T36, mortar, reused),

                             Brick (T42, brown

                             glaze on upper surface,

                             fine moulding sand),

                             Peg (circular peghole),

                             Plain (burnt), Peg

                             (circular peghole,

                             sooted), Plain (mortar),

                             Plain (overfired,

                             mortar), Brick (T40,

                             fine moulding sand),

                             Limestone (T13)

6294            Plain (abraded), Plain                13-16th                  13-16th

6297            Plain (burnt)                              13-16th                  13-16th

6298            Plain (sooted), Peg (square        13-16th                  13-16th

                             peghole)

6300            Crested ridge (abraded), Plain   13-16th                  13-16th

                             (sooted)

6301            Peg (square peghole,                 13-16th                  13-16th

                             fingermarks), Plain, Peg

                             (square peghole, tally

                             mark),  Peg (square

                             peghole,)

6302            Plain (W199T11, frost damage),          13-16th                  13-16th

                             Plain, Plain (W205T11),

                             Plain (indented border),

                             Plain (fingermarks),

                             Plain (pawprints), Peg

                             (central square peghole,

                             W215T13)

sgn

7/98