Appeal at Friargate, York

Archaeological dig in the grounds of Friargate Meeting conclude

The archaeological dig in the grounds of Friargate Meeting in York, which has attracted a lot of local interest and press attention, is concluding.  Andrew Jones, an archaeologist and member of Friargate Meeting, has made an appeal to Friends for information regarding one fascinating object that was unearthed.

‘We recovered a mixture of human bones that were placed in a plywood box’, he said. ‘We knew the box was there. It dates from the 1980s when there was an excavation at Friargate. The bones were discovered then and buried in the box.

‘I am very keen to hear from anyone who was around at the time. I am particularly interested to hear from anyone who can remember the discovery of the bones and who knows about their burial in the plywood coffin.’

The dig has been a successful venture for local Friends and is linked to proposed improvements at the Meeting house. Barbara Windle said: ‘The archaeology is happening because we are refurbishing and need generous donations’.

Andrew told the Friend about the history of the location at Friargate and of its association with friars. ‘The Meeting house’, he explained, ‘is built on what was, in the eleventh century, the western bailey of York Castle. In the thirteenth century the king gave it to the Franciscan order, who built a friary there, and he used to stay in it when he visited. So, we have Friargate and Friars Wharf nearby.’

‘At the dissolution of the monasteries, in the sixteenth century, a lot of the stone was taken away. Some of the stone was later incorporated into a garden wall of a large house, Castlegate, built by John Carr – a famous York architect in the late eighteenth century. He built Castlegate House for the recorder of York, who was responsible for import and export taxes at the time.’

Andrew added: ‘In the recent excavation we have identified some of the eighteenth century garden walls. The builders, presumably on the orders of the recorder and/or the architect, incorporated stone from the original medieval friary. These massive pieces of limestone were prominently displayed to be visible from the river. The recorder is deliberately saying “I have built my very grand house on the site of the old friary who used to control trade in this City, but I am the boss now. You dance to my tune.”’

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