ENN7269 - Bearward Street and Silver Street, 1971 (Trial trench)

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Location

Grid reference Centred SP 7522 6070 (10m by 23m)
Civil Parish NORTHAMPTON
Unitary Authority West Northamptonshire

Technique(s)

Organisation

Northampton Development Corporation Archaeology Unit

Date

January 1971

Description

{1} In 1970 certain houses between Bearward Street and Silver Street were demolished prior to redevelopment. The opportunity was taken to attempt to locate the line of the Saxon defences. A single 22m or 26m [sources differ] trench running at right angles to the axis of the streets was excavated. The trench was excavated to a depth of 5m and modern disturbances went down to a depth of 2m. Evidence suggests a ditch 13m wide and 3.8m deep filled in during the 12th-13th century {3} Only reference is to a ditch between Silver Street and Bearward Street. Found by DCM and JAS. Only pottery is one sherd of unmarked shelly- post Conquest type and the A/S date is inferred from position of trench and possible line of Saxon defences postulated by Lee.

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1> Note: Mynard, DC. 1972. Northampton: Trial excavation on the probable line of the Saxon Town Defences. BULLETIN OF NORTHANTS FEDERATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL. 7. LEICESTER UNIVERSITY PRES. 7/42.
  • <2> Article: MYNARD D.C.. 1976. Excavations on the Mayorhold, Northampton, 1971. Northamptonshire Archaeology. 11. Northants Archaeology Soc. p. 134-150.
  • <3> Index: Shaw M.; Williams J.. 1971-1981. Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards. NDC. A/S 14.

Map

External Links (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (3)

  • Northampton (Monument)
  • Northampton's Saxon Defences (Monument)
  • Possible Saxon ditch or quarry pit, between Bearward Street and Silver Street (Monument)

Record last edited

Jun 8 2026 11:46AM

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