Research project

Urban Neighbourhood Assemblages: Spatial and Social Development in York c. 600-1600

Supervisor Kate Giles

The PhD builds on my interests in urban archaeology to develop a methodology, using GIS, to analyse archaeological site data in conjunction with historical and cartographic data sets. The project explores the development of neighbourhoods within York using published and unpublished excavations from the York Archaeological Trust over the longue durée. This PhD is one of three AHRC Collaborative Awards in conjunction with the York Archaeological Trust entitled 'Possession, consumption and choice: three studies of the material culture of domestic goods in York and Yorkshire 1400-1900’. 

The project aims to understand the temporal and spatial development of the urban environment, encompassing the development of streets, burgage plots, houses and workshops. The understanding of urban space forms the framework for the examination of the artefactual assemblages and historical information for land holding and tenancy to provide a detailed and nuanced understanding of the patterns of land use. This data is then used to address the research themes of what constitutes a neighbourhood and its associated social networks and the extent to which urban space helps form, or reflects its character at a given time.

Conferences

'Using GIS and the analysis of published and unpublished urban excavations' presented at Computer Applications and quantative methods in Archaeology, University of Southampton, March 2012

'Archaeology, GIS and the study of Neighbourhood' presented at Spatial Technologies and the Medieval City Seminar, University of Padua, Italy, March 2011

'Lost Property: Using archaeology to map the medieval streets of York' presented at the International Medieval Congress, Leeds. Session 'Travelling Through Maps' July 2010

'A Case of Urban Identity: Using GIS to map the medieval streets of York' presented at 'Mapping the Medieval City: space, place and identity. An International Interdisciplinary Colloquium' at Swansea University. Organised to launch the AHRC funded Mapping Medieval Chester Project, July 2009

'It's my Neighbourhood' presented at 'Poverty in Depth: New International Perspectives', University of York, organised by the York Archaeological Trust and the University of York

Profile

Gareth grew up in the World's First Garden City, and was exposed to archaeology at a young age through visits to excavations in nearby Baldock.  His archaeological career began in earnest as a volunteer for the Heritage Network in his native Hertfordshire in 1996. After completing a BA in Archaeology from King Alfred’s College in 1999, Gareth began working in commercial archaeology on the CTRL Project in Kent for Oxford Archaeology followed by a period working for Essex County Council Field Unit on a variety of sites including the A130 road improvement and St Osyth's. Gareth came to York for an MA in Field Archaeology in 2001 and his thesis was based around a geophysical survey he carried out at the Roman fort at Malton.

After the MA, Gareth worked for Norfolk Archaeological Unit on the A11 and Norwich Cathedral before returning to Essex. In 2002 he returned to the North and worked for West Yorkshire Archaeology Service on the A1 at Ferrybridge (not the bit with chariot burials unfortunately). In 2003 Gareth joined York Archaeological Trust (YAT) and worked on a range of urban and rural projects. In 2004 during work on the A614 near Howden, the watching brief he directed recovered evidence for a previously unrecorded moated site, ninth or tenth century settlement and most signifcantly a seventh century log boat. The assistance and cooperation of the developers in this project saw them win the Tarmac Award at the British Archaeological Awards that year. Gareth still works part time for YAT writing up sites he directed prior to starting the PhD and is currently working on the watching brief and excavation at St Anthony's Hall.

Publications

Book

Dean, G. 2008. Medieval York The History Press:Stroud

Articles

Dean, G. (forthcoming) 'GIS, Archaeology and Neighbourhood Assemblages in Medieval York' in Postclassical Archaeologies

Dean, G. 2004. 'The Welham Boat' in Widowinde - Periodical of the English Companions 135, 28

Dean, G. 1999. contributions to Marter, P. and McConnell, R. 'Preparations for War: World War II civil defence in the City of Winchester' in Proceedings of the Hampshire Archaeological Field Club 54 , 146-63

Other Publications

Dean, G. 2010. 'St Anthony's Hall' in CBA Forum. The Annual Newsletter of CBA Yorkshire 

Dean, G. 2007. 'St Anthony's Hall' in IFA Buildings Archaeology Group Newsletter 27, 16

Dean, G. 2005. ‘Recent Work at Welham Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire’ in CBA Forum. The Annual Newsletter of CBA Yorkshire, 55-59

Dean, G. 2005. Review of Page, P. (et.al) 2005. 'Barentin's Manor: Excavations of the Moated Manor at Harding's Field, Chalgrove, Oxfordshire 1976-9' in The Archaeological Journal 162, 350