ENN7427 - Frances' Jetty, 1988 (Trial trench)

{1} An evaluation trench was excavated ahead of development immediately south of Frances' Jetty during one day in March 1988. Frances' Jetty is a narrow footpath between Bridge Street and Kingswell Street.The intention was to seek evidence for the eastern side of the late Saxon defences of Northampton A single L-shaped trench, 20m long x lm wide east-west and 5m long x 1m wide north- south, was excavated westwards from Bridge Street, but it was not possible to continue closer into the supposed intramural area because of a standing building on Kingswell Street. The easternmost 10m of the trench proved to be cellared and the fill was removed only to a depth of 1m. Beyond this what appeared to be natural ironstone was encountered at a depth of 2.10m. {3} An L-shaped trial trench excavated along Frances Jetty. There was an extensive cellar at the east end of the trench, adjacent to the Bridge Street frontage. The geology was encounted at c2.50m below ground level. Possible pits further west, but the poor quality of the archive precludes any further analysis.