by Dani Shacklock, Project Supervisor (York Fieldwork)
Excavations
In 2022 flood defence work was carried out at Clifton Ings, to the north-west of York City Centre on the River Ouse. A team from York Archaeology excavated and monitored works directly to the north and west of the former Clifton Hospital for Jacobs U.K. Limited and BAM Nuttall on behalf of the Environment Agency.
A brief history of Clifton Hospital
Originally built in 1847, the hospital was first referred to as the Pauper Lunatic Asylum. By 1865, it became known as the North Riding Lunatic Asylum. By 1920, it was renamed the North Riding Mental Hospital, and in 1948 it was finally called Clifton Hospital.
It continued under this name until it closed in 1994, although a hospital laundry continued to operate on the site until the early 2000s.
The Finds
The majority of the finds are associated with the hospital across its history. Most came from a late Victorian rubbish deposit dated to the 1890s.
Multiple fragments of white earthenware dishes, bowls, and cups were retrieved, probably used at mealtimes by the patients. These were generally plain and inexpensive, with some bearing transfer-printed stamps of ‘NORTH RIDING YORK ASYLUM’, ‘NORTH RIDING MENTAL HOSPITAL’, and ‘NMRH’.
This reflects the changing name of the institution over time, with the term ‘asylum’ falling out of use by the 1960s, when it began to be seen as offensive.
Pottery and Daily Life
As well as the changing stamp, there are also some variations in the fabric and decoration of the pottery. A small proportion of the fragments are finer creamware types or white salt-glazed types, and sometimes include banded rim decoration.
This could be evidence that the plain white earthenware was used for patients, while doctors and staff members used higher-quality items.
Rare Domino Finds
Three dominoes were also found within this dump. They were made from polished bone plates secured to dark wooden bases with small copper alloy pins.
Dominoes are a rare find on archaeological sites in England. One of the earliest bone examples, dating from the 16th century, was recovered from the famous Mary Rose shipwreck.
Other examples of bone dominoes have been found in Norwich, Oxford, Plymouth, and Southampton, spanning the 17th and 18th centuries.
Two separate sites in Winchester have provided examples of dominoes contemporary with the pieces from Clifton Ings, also created solely from bone.
This sets our dominoes apart, making them a unique example of pieces made from a combination of materials, and just a touch fancier than others found to date.
Changing Attitudes Through Time
Overall, this site provides insight into the everyday lives of patients and practitioners throughout the hospital’s history. It also offers an interesting timeline of changing attitudes towards mental health over the past two centuries.
