In Phase 9.8 modifications were made to Buildings U, V and Y, Building W was demolished and a series of intercutting pits and subsidence hollows were located to the east of the yard and to the east of Building Y.

Occupation continued in Phase 9.9 within an increasingly dilapidated Building Y, and further scattered activity took place to the east of Building Y and within the yard.
 

Phase 9.8 (mid 16th century)

To the west of the new chimney stack, in the northern room of Building U, a series of industrial occupation and floor deposits accumulated (including 1537, 1562, 1564, 1603, 1646, 1650, 1742 and 1790). To the north of a possible anvil base or work bench support 1992 (see Phase 9.5), deposit 1603 formed a coherent level floor close to the Walmgate frontage, whereas to the south the floors were patchy, rough and industrial in character. Deposit 1790 contained vitrified clay, iron concretions and iron objects (SF00989) which were covered in spherical and flake hammerscale, as did iron object (SF00751) from deposit 1564. These suggest that iron smithing continued within this room in this phase.

Several stake-holes (including 3295–3296) were then inserted close to and to either side of the southern wall of the room. These may indicate the position of a north-east to south-west aligned partition wall or screen. This structure appears to have been temporary as the wall between the northern and southern rooms of Building U was removed at this point, and a number of occupation deposits (including 1691) built up. Deposit 1691 contained smithing slag lumps, iron concretions and occasional flake hammerscale (SF01120) suggesting continued metalworking.

A new southern wall for the northern room of Building U was then constructed, comprising a beam or plank slot (1441), which lined up with the southern end of the chimney stack foundation 1487. This new wall did not have a long life span, as two large post-holes (1436 and 1664) were dug as a replacement. Two further stake-holes were inserted to the north of the rebuilt wall.

Pit (1512) was then dug on the southern side of the anvil base or workbench support 1992. The pit was backfilled with charcoal, occasional animal bone, tile and slag fragments. Its shape, position within the room, and backfill composition reveal striking similarities with pit 1779 (see Phase 9.6). This suggests that both pits served a similar but unknown function.

This second attempt at replacing the southern wall of this part of Building U again appears to have been unsuccessful, and so a third replacement was made utilising post-pads (including 1417). A series of floors then built up. In the south-western corner of the room a rough hearth (not on plan) of burnt clay, tile and pebbles, which contained slag, was constructed. To the north-west, between the hearth and 1992 a pit (1335) was dug and lined with clay. It was later backfilled. Further floors and occupation deposits built up and a brick structure (not shown on plan) was constructed in the north-western corner of the room. The structure may represent a hearth or standing but was too fragmentary to allow further interpretation. A square pit (1526) to the south-east of the brick structure may have been dug to hold an anvil block close to this hearth.

At the southern end of Building U, a small clearance cut was dug to the south of the large furnace (see Phase 9.6). This cut and the furnace flue were then infilled with clay and rubble (1991) which contained pottery of the 16th century. The deposit also contained iron and copper alloy waste and sheet fragments (SF01297). The original large furnace, within the southern room of Building U, appears to have been rebuilt at this point, the new furnace construction cut being packed with metalworking waste (including 1916–1917, 1980 and 1983). These deposits contained copper alloy waste (SF00998) and primary butchery waste. The new furnace did not produce an appreciable build up of deposits around it, perhaps suggesting that the southern room contained a brick or flag floor, which was later robbed out.

The new furnace did not have a long life span, and was robbed completely and backfilled (cut 1778). No evidence for the furnace structure was located. The final backfills of the robbing cut 1778 contained demolition material as well as vitrified, over-fired and burnt brick, fired clay with copper alloy (SF00885), copper alloy casting waste (SF00926) and mould fragments (SF00948) including one from around the leg of a vessel (SF00927). It also contained food and butchery waste and a selection of juvenile and sub-adult cat bones (representing at least four individuals - see the environmental report). The presence of these cat carcasses may suggest the exploitation of this animal for its pelt at this time although no skinning marks were noted on the bone. The metalworking evidence strongly suggests that the southern room of Building U was used for copper alloy working prior to the final demolition and robbing of the furnace.

At the southern end of the room a bedding layer was laid for a brick setting (2014) interpreted as a furnace base. Its position and that of a dump of metalworking debris (1974) suggest that there was a doorway or opening between Buildings U and Y at this point. Deposit 1974 consisted mainly of copper alloy waste and fired and vitrified clay, but also contained glass (SF01336). This glass could have been created during non-ferrous metalworking (see the artefacts report). Sealing the eastern side of 1974 was the bedding layer for a rough post-pad (1965) that would have supported a door-post or part of the timber-frame of the southern wall of Building U. The bedding deposit partially sealed furnace base 2014, suggesting its disuse. A second furnace base (including 1364, 1747 and 1947) was constructed in the south-eastern corner of the room. This complex small structure contained pottery dated of the 16th century as well as a re-used moulded architectural brick, copper alloy sheet (SF00938) and copper alloy waste (SF00939). Its base also contained a sandstone block (AF00031) which had been used for knife sharpening. South-west of the second furnace, a small pit (2121) was dug adjacent to wall 2616. This was filled with charcoal and iron slag covered in flake and spherical hammerscale. The new furnace may have been associated with both copper and iron working. A thin layer of sand sealed the backfilled pit 2121.

After the construction of the chimney stack at the western end of Building V, the eastern end of the building was cleared. Since the whole of Building V was not cleared, the building may have been subdivided into two small workshops, or the occupiers may have been trying not to undermine the chimney stack at the western end of the building. No evidence for a partition wall between the two halves was recovered, but this could have been removed by a later feature (see Phase 13).

On the northern side of wall 1815, a post-hole was inserted perhaps to support the south wall of the building during clearance and renovation work. The eastern wall of the building was also rebuilt (2012) at this time, re-using 14th and 15th century bricks.

In the south-eastern corner of Building V an L-shaped brick structure (1837) was constructed. It was built of broken bricks, some of which dated to the 16th to the 18th century. The structure appeared to slope down to the east but this was attributable to ground slumping. Structure 1837 is difficult to interpret; it may represent an internal stairbase or a corner furnace.

To the north of 1837 a floor of re-used roof tile was laid down (not shown on plan). Subsequently a series of interior floors built up, several of which contained material indicative of metalworking, although this may have been imported as flooring material from elsewhere on site. The metalworking evidence includes copper sheet fragments, a small cake of lead, lead waste, iron slag with fired clay, mould fragments, and a classic ‘splat’ of copper alloy molten metal. The floors also contained a silver mount (SF00784), a medieval stone spindle whorl (SF00707) and a copper alloy needle as well as food waste which may suggest a continued domestic function for Building V.

Silver mount SF00784

Medieval spindle whorl SF00707 is at the rear

The street frontage wall at the eastern end of the building was then reconstructed, a renovation cut (1643) being dug to facilitate this process. The trench was later backfilled. A post-hole (1641) truncated the trench backfill at its western end; this may be the only evidence remaining of a partition within Building V.

A fragmentary burnt brick hearth (not on plan) was found to the north of floor 1837. The north-eastern part of the Building V was sealed by levelling deposits (including 1533), before the construction of a more substantial hearth (1394). Hearth 1394 contained oyster shell suggesting it was used in food preparation. To the south and south-west of 1394 several ash deposits (1511 and 1529) were laid down, probably associated with the use of the hearth. One of these, deposit 1529, was investigated for environmental information and contained cinders, charcoal (including oak and hazel), coal, fish bone, and traces of marine shell, eggshell, iron and copper alloy objects and slag. The bone assemblage was predominantly made up of fish bone including herring, eel, thornback ray, haddock, cod, rockling, plaice and lemon sole but with some unidentified bird and mammal bones. The presence of iron and copper fragments within the sample may suggest a metalworking function for this part of the building. To the south-west of the hearth, a small post-hole (1399) was dug for an unknown purpose.

On the western side of Building V an ashy deposit (1419) partially sealed the southern lobe of the hearth stack 1487. The ash may have been raked off from a hearth situated within the chimney stack. Truncating this were a series of very small features (3251–3276) and two post-holes (1422 and 1424). These features may show the position of a workbench, whilst the two post-holes may have been inserted to support the south wall of Building V. A second spread of ash (1418) covered the features described above. Deposit 1418 was sampled for environmental evidence and had a similar composition and inclusions to 1529 (see above). The flot contained abundant rush seeds indicating the flooring type; this and the small size of the vertebrate remains suggests that this floor was swept regularly. A well-preserved bone assemblage was recovered from the sample which mainly consisted of fish bone including herring, eel, haddock, cod and flat fish. The sample also produced slag and iron and copper alloy fragments, giving the impression that Building V was used for metalworking at this time. This may have consisted of finishing processes rather than the hot working of metal.

Sealing the north-east side of deposit 1418 was a patch of burnt clay (1413), perhaps created when a hot vessel was placed on the floor. Two further post-holes (including 1410) were then dug.

Within the passageway on the western side of the yard (see Phase 9.3 for its creation) a number of levelling deposits were laid down (including 1270 and 1625) prior to the laying of a cobble surface (1261). The new surface incorporated a shallow, cobble-lined, drainage gully on its western side and it may have functioned as a cobbled threshold from the passage into Building U. Accumulation deposits built up on top of the surface.

Building W on the south side of the yard was demolished, its eastern wall (2417) being robbed and the ground levelled. To the east of this a mass of intercutting pits and post-holes were inserted, including pits 1773, 1786, 1811, 1853 and 1866 and post-holes 1796, 1840 and 1864. Some of these may be slump hollows, but others were probably deliberately dug. One of the backfills of the pits contained pottery of the 16th century. The area was then sealed with levelling deposits. One of the levelling deposits contained a globular jet bead (SF00769) possibly from a medieval rosary dated to the 13th or 14th century, and another contained an iron loop (SF00806).

To the east of Building Y, a number of areas of subsidence (including 1566, 1553–1555) were levelled with dumps. The dumps consisted principally of household refuse and demolition material, with a small component derived from metalworking. One of these deposits (1604), however, appears to be a dump of smithing waste, containing an iron blade (SF00737), a spur (SF00738), nails (SF00739 and SF00741–SF00743) and slag (SF00740) which produced hammerscale. Deposit 1604 contained pottery of the 16th century.

After the subsidence hollows were levelled, the eastern wall of Building Y was partially rebuilt (1544) as far as the well or garderobe 1534. This rebuilding was dated by pottery to the 16th century. The garderobe or well also appears to have been renovated at this time as the top of the south wall of this structure was rebuilt (1543). On the north side of 1534 a clay levelling deposit was laid down for a new rubble floor (1557) which contained pottery of the 16th century. Further floor and levelling deposits built up to the south of 1534 and included 1391, 1403 and 1540. A shallow pit (1382) or post-hole truncated these floor deposits.

At the western end of Building Y a large rectangular pit (1951) was dug for an unknown purpose. It was subsequently backfilled with rubbish including butchery waste and demolition material. Two stone mortar fragments (SF00920–SF00921) were recovered from the backfills as well as a heavily vitrified crucible fragment (SF01208).

Phase 9.9 (late 16th century)

Building Y was rather dilapidated by this time and the garderobe or well at its eastern end was infilled and the ground levelled. One of the backfills of the garderobe contained a pottery counter (SF01426 - see the artefacts report). A number of clay and sand floors were laid down to the north, south and west of it and a small slot was dug on the south-west corner, perhaps as a last attempt to hold up the structure during backfilling.

To the west a series of dumped and use deposits, together with patches of floor deposits, sealed large portions of Building Y. The dumps incorporated mixed floor deposits, building debris, coal, charcoal and metalworking waste including mould fragments and iron concretions. These suggest that wall 2616 had been demolished, apart from the portion which formed the southern end of Building U. At the southern edge of the excavation area a small patch of occupation material revealed a succession of floors and stake-holes.

The area to the east of Building Y continued to be used for the dumping of ash, metalworking waste and refuse to level the ground surface. Environmental evidence suggests that food and butchery waste was also disposed of in this area (see the environmental report). A portion of wall then collapsed into this area, before being sealed by a further levelling dump. The levelling material contained pottery of the 16th century and a dumped architectural fragment. A shallow clay-lined feature was dug on the southern edge of the excavation area. This was filled with an ashy deposit and a layer of coal, suggesting an industrial function. A post-hole and a small pit, situated to the north of the industrial feature, may have been associated with it.