'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.
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