Archaeology on site

In advance of building work on Heslington East, York Archaeological Trust were commissioned to survey the site to find out whether it contained any areas of archaeological interest. They identified three areas of primary archaeological interest and completed a thorough investigation of two of these, situated under the new campus buildings, in 2008. The Department of Archaeology has been working on the third area, on Kimberlow Hill, since 2008 and completed work here in 2011. The discovery of extensive and complex organic deposits along a springline on Kimberlow Hill led to the appointment of On Site Archaeology in 2010 to undertake a further investigation in this area.

The Heslington East Project has provided an opportunity to bring together academic and commercial components of archaeological fieldwork, linked to both students training and community participation, and has resulted in one of the largest open area excavations seen on the outskirts of York. Prior to the archaeological fieldwork, which commenced in 2003, little was known about this area, it having been used for arable agriculture for centuries.

Findings 

From November 2007 until October 2008 YAT undertook the excavation of an area beneath the current campus buildings. Evidence was found for a series of palaeochannels flowing north-south out of the moraine. A single Neolithic pit was recorded and some Bronze Age pits, with wicker revetments, were focused on a managed waterhole or springhead. Evidence of Iron Age settlement consisted of two roundhouses and several ring gullies, set within an enclosure system. One of the roundhouses had been rebuilt in its location on three successive occasions. Iron Age activity around the waterhole was considerable and a skull, with preserved brain matter, was found in this location. The area continues in use into the Roman period with some limited evidence for activity comprising mainly a pit, ditch and range of artefacts. Work by specialists to assess all the materials and samples from the excavation continues.

Since 2008 the Department of Archaeology has been working on Kimberlow Hill with work focused on a Roman masonry building and associated features. In 2010 evidence was discovered for earlier Iron Age activity here too, and work at the beginning of 2011, by On Site Archaeology, has identified possible Bronze Age features along the springline.  

Britain's oldest brain

The oldest surviving human brain in Britain, dating back at least 2000 years to the Iron Age, was unearthed during excavations on the site of the University of York’s campus expansion at Heslington East.

The Kimberlow Hill site

A Roman site was also located at the eastern end of Heslington East. The ongoing excavation of this site is intended to be a long-term investigation including community involvement.