Latest news with #YorkTheatreRoyal
New York Post
02-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Sinkhole in fashionable part of historic city uncovers massive medieval building
Archaeologists in a historic city recently came across the remnants of an expansive medieval hospital. The discovery was announced by the City of York Council on June 9. The ancient remains were found in a 'void,' or sinkhole, that had recently opened on the street of St Leonard's Place in York in the United Kingdom. 'The archaeological find was discovered as work was taking place to repair the sinkhole on St Leonard's Place,' the council said in a statement. 'The void, which is in the middle of the road outside York Theatre Royal, was made safe before contractors and archaeology teams began investigation works.' The find is believed to be the remnants of St. Leonard's Hospital — built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Pictures show ancient bricks hiding several inches beneath the street. 4 'The archaeological find was discovered as work was taking place to repair the sinkhole on St Leonard's Place,' the council said in a statement. Stephen – The hospital was 'one of the largest' in Northern England during the Middle Ages, the council said. The property originally stretched from York's Museum Gardens to the city's Theatre Royal, the council's statement noted. After the English Reformation, the area was used as a royal mint – earning the name 'Mint Yard.' 4 The find is believed to be the remnants of St. Leonard's Hospital — built between the 12th and 13th centuries. City of York Council 'Mint Yard [was] demolished several hundred years ago and a road made on top of it,' the statement added. By the 19th century, the city council said, the Mint Yard buildings were 'a warren of residencies, yards and stables and were demolished to make way [for] the new Georgian streetscape in 1836, as it became one of the most fashionable parts of the city at the time.' The council added, 'The demolished parts of the city walls were then used to create a base for their new road, which we now know as St Leonard's Place.' 4 The hospital was 'one of the largest' in Northern England during the Middle Ages, the council said. City of York Council Kate Ravilious, a member of the City of York Council, thanked the public for their patience during the archaeological work. 'We knew that there is a lot of complex archaeology in the area dating back to the Roman legionary fortress,' Ravilious said in a statement. 'Throughout the works, we have been [alert] to this while doing all we can to get off site as quickly as possible. However, these finds, while fascinating, have set our timescales back a bit.' 4 The council added, 'The demolished parts of the city walls were then used to create a base for their new road, which we now know as St Leonard's Place.' City of York Council The discovery comes over a month after experts found proof of a gladiatorial fight with a lion in the same English city. The findings came after experts analyzed a skeleton from a Roman cemetery outside of York. Experts said that gladiators' remains presented 'unusual lesions.' Fox News Digital reached out to the City of York Council, but did not immediately hear back.
Scottish Sun
25-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there
The historic site was uncovered unexpectedly during emergency repairs BREAKING GROUND England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there A ROAD in the heart of York gave way to a sinkhole and exposed a vital part of the city's past. Archaeologists have found the remains of one of England's largest medieval hospitals buried beneath a bustling street. Advertisement 3 A sinkhole opened up in the road outside the 18th-century York Theatre Royal Credit: Getty 3 Buried beneath the road, archaeologists uncovered remains of the 11th-century St Leonard's Hospital Credit: YouTube/York City Council The remains - dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries - are thought to belong to St Leonard's Hospital. The huge healthcare facility is said to have once stretched from the Museum Gardens to the Theatre Royal site. Though built shortly after the Norman Conquest in the late 11th century, the site sits on top of even older Roman remains - at a time when York was a major Roman city and military base called Eboracum. St Leonard's Hospital played a vital role in the community of medieval York - not only as a healthcare centre but also as a charitable institution. Advertisement It ran an orphanage and provided food for prisoners at York Castle. The hospital was destroyed during the 16th-century English Reformation, when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. This brought an end to countless religious institutions across England. The site then became home to the Royal Mint, earning the name Mint Yard. Advertisement It later transformed into the Georgian street that stands there today. Incredibly, the hospital was excavated by chance earlier this month during emergency repairs to the road on St Leonard's Place. Danish archaeologists unearth 50 Viking skeletons City of York Council officials said the sinkhole in the road outside the 18th-century theatre was made safe by contractors before archaeologists were called in. Structural and stone masonry remains were unearthed by a team of archaeologists. Advertisement While the discovery has temporarily halted roadworks, city officials expect repairs to resume shortly. The archaeological team has carefully documented every find, following the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists' standards. Further analysis of the remains is being conducted. It comes as abandoned medieval villages were uncovered during roadworks on the A47. Advertisement The settlements are thought to have been abandoned after the Black Death - the bubonic plague that swept through the UK between 1348 and 1350, killing an estimated 35 to 40 percent of the population. Archaeologists made the discoveries during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual carriageway. Headland Archaeology also found 31kg of pottery. 3 A metal spearhead, once used in hunting and battles, was discovered during roadworks on the A47 Credit: Headland Archaeology
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
England's largest medieval hospital is unearthed inside a SINKHOLE in huge breakthrough – and no one knew it was there
A ROAD in the heart of York gave way to a sinkhole and exposed a vital part of the city's past. Archaeologists have found the remains of one of England's largest medieval hospitals buried beneath a bustling street. 3 A sinkhole opened up in the road outside the 18th-century York Theatre Royal Credit: Getty 3 Buried beneath the road, archaeologists uncovered remains of the 11th-century St Leonard's Hospital Credit: YouTube/York City Council The remains - dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries - are thought to belong to St Leonard's Hospital. The huge healthcare facility is said to have once stretched from the Museum Gardens to the Theatre Royal site. Though built shortly after the Norman Conquest in the late 11th century, the site sits on top of even older Roman remains - at a time when York was a major Roman city and military base called Eboracum. St Leonard's Hospital played a vital role in the community of medieval York - not only as a healthcare centre but also as a charitable institution. Read more UK news It ran an orphanage and provided food for prisoners at York Castle. The hospital was destroyed during the 16th-century English Reformation, when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. This brought an end to countless religious institutions across England. The site then became home to the Royal Mint, earning the name Mint Yard. Most read in The Sun It later transformed into the Georgian street that stands there today. Incredibly, the hospital was excavated by chance earlier this month during emergency repairs to the road on St Leonard's Place. Danish archaeologists unearth 50 Viking skeletons City of York Council officials said the sinkhole in the road outside the 18th-century theatre was made safe by contractors before archaeologists were called in. Structural and stone masonry remains were unearthed by a team of archaeologists. While the discovery has temporarily halted roadworks, city officials expect repairs to resume shortly. The archaeological team has carefully documented every find, following the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists' standards. Further analysis of the remains is being conducted. It comes as The settlements are thought to have been abandoned after the Black Death - the bubonic plague that swept through the UK between 1348 and 1350, killing an estimated 35 to 40 percent of the population. Archaeologists made the discoveries during work to convert 5.5 miles of road between Easton and North Tuddenham into a dual carriageway. Headland Archaeology also found 31kg of pottery. 3 A metal spearhead, once used in hunting and battles, was discovered during roadworks on the A47 Credit: Headland Archaeology
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
'Void' opens up in middle of UK city and archaeologists find sinister discovery
The void was opened after workers tried to repair a sinkhole on St Leonard's Place in York and is said to contain what is believed to be part of a 12th-13th century hospital A remarkable discovery has been made at the site of a former Roman legionary fortress, prompting archaeologists to investigate. The find was located in the middle of the road outside York Theatre Royal. The void was revealed when workers attempted to mend a sinkhole on St Leonard's Place and is thought to contain remnants of a hospital from the 12th-13th century. The site extended from what is now Museum Gardens to the Theatre Royal and after the reformation, it served as the Royal Mint. The location was given the medieval moniker of Mint Yard and was razed several centuries ago before a road was constructed over it. The area was secured prior to contractors and archaeological teams commencing their investigative work. To ensure the safety of workers, traffic and the public, a lane closure was implemented, reports the Express. York Council confirmed findings have been documented in accordance with CIFA standards and photographs have been taken for further analysis. Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport, expressed her gratitude for the public's patience, acknowledging that these emergency works have caused disruption to residents, visitors and bus operators. She said: "We knew that there is a lot of complex archaeology in the area dating back to the Roman legionary fortress. Throughout the works, we have been live to this while doing all we can to get off-site as quickly as possible. However these finds, while fascinating, have set our timescales back a bit. "We will continue to share updates as the work progresses. At peak times the inner ring road is very busy so we're asking people to plan ahead, use the outer ring road to traverse the city where possible and consider other ways to travel to the city centre. That includes getting the bus, walking or cycling. While some buses are being diverted they will continue to serve communities across the city." The area became a new Georgian streetscape in 1836 and was soon one of the most fashionable parts of the city at the time. The demolished parts of the city walls were then used to create a base for their new road, which is now known as St Leonard's Place. Nowadays, the road which sits atop of the former St Leonard's Hospital is a major thoroughfare for commuters and is known for its elegant architecture.
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The medieval hospital hidden in York Theatre Royal
When you go to the theatre, you imagine being surrounded by red velvet curtains and golden gilded stages. What you might not expect are grand medieval pillars and roman walls, steeped in the history of a sinkhole suddenly opened on St Leonard's Place in May, people were astounded by the medieval ruins that lay under the busy city centre they are a small part of the vast 888-year-old St Leonard's Hospital which has been mostly hidden underground, with a floorplan stretching from the Museum Gardens to York tucked away in unassuming corners of York Theatre Royal are perfectly preserved examples of tall medieval pillars and original groin vaulting. John Soper, tour guide at the theatre, said: "In a way we've got to thank Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, because not only does he knock down all the abbeys, he knocks down the hospitals."In the 18th Century, [Elizabeth] Keregan who starts to build her theatre looks about for a place to buy, and there is a chunk of the hospital left standing."She starts to build her theatre on this site, on top of the old hospital and around it."This is why we've got so much of it in the theatre itself."It's incredible to think that you can just pop in and see so much history." As well as ruins of the medieval hospital, there is also a Tudor fireplace backstage, and a Roman well directly underneath the the box office are the remains of an original hospital gate, where the builder has carved their initials. Much of the new theatre reflects its history the cafe area was built in 1967, architect Patrick Gwynne designed the shuttered concrete pillars to reflect the medieval pattern on the flooring also mirrors the original layout of the hospital. St Leonard's Hospital had little in common with a modern facility, with Mr Soper describing it as "more like a stopping-off point"."If you were on a pilgrimage and you were going up to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, or you might be coming to see the newly built York Minster, you would have appeared at the gateway to this hospital which is in the Museum Gardens."Try and imagine it as a little village sat inside the city of York."There would be cattle and sheep, and they would be growing hops for beer."They had vineyards in there, they would be making their own wine."If you were considered to be very old, something like 47, if you paid a few coins to the monks then you would go and live in there and they would look after you." Mr Soper wants to encourage more people to re-engage with their local history."What I would say to you is just keep your eyes open, use your imagination, and rediscover your city of York," he said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
