Monument record 7198/387 - Newlands or 'Le Neweland', Kettering

An area of planned medieval expansion undertaken in 1292. Possibly the final episode of expansion before nation-wide recession in the late 13th century. Trial trench evaluation at 11-12 Newland confirmed the existence of buried features dating to this period, although subsequent observation during development identified only a single pit.

{1} Interpretation of the 1405 rental has suggested that the Newlands comprise primarily two blocks of tenements, one fronting the Weekly road and called the East Newlands, and the second, northern block fronting the Rockingham road. The 1292 expansion can probably be directly related to this northern block.
The late 13th century planned additions in the Newlands may have been the last stage of urban expansion prior to the recessions which accompanied first the famines and then from the middle of the 14th century the sequence of plagues. The 1405 rental, following just over 50 years largely of economic decline, shows a picture of desertion of tenements throughout the town, but especially concentrated in the cottages and there especially in the general area of the Newlands.

{3} One of three known groups of medieval tenements on the south side of Northall Street.

{4} Trial trench excavation at 11-12 Newland Street, two pits, a shallow linear feature and a ditch. The features probably dated from the 13th/14th century and were probably disused by the 14th/15th centuries. Carbonised plant assemblages from the features were characterisitic of late medieval agriculture and contained no chaff, considered to reflect food preparation and consumption in an urban envrionment. At least two of the features may represent tenement boundary features. The features in one trench were sealed beneath a layer of buried soil which had accumulated in the late medieval period, a time in which this area is shown as a large open close.
Two sherds of residual Iron Age pottery were recovered from one of the pits.

{5} Archaeological observation was undertaken during development of the site. There was significant truncation of the western part of the site, in part from the removal of a cellar. The buried soil identified in the earlier evaluation was observed. Sherds of late medieval/early post-medieval pottery were recovered from it.
Sealed beneath the buried soil was a pit. It contaiend four sherds of Iron Age pottery, although an assemblage of plant macrofossils from the fill was consistent with medieval cultivation. A post-medieval stone-lined well was also identified.

<1> Foard G.F., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Kettering (Medieval + Post Medieval), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100747.

<2> Eayre T., 1721, A Plan of the Town of Kettering in Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100753.

<3> Savage R.D., 2011, Former Rockingham Box Factory, Dryden Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN108291.

<4> Wilson, M., 2018, 11-12 Newland Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire: Archaeological evaluation, 2018 (Report). SNN111228.

<5> Roberts, J., 2018, Report on a programme of archaeological observation, investigation and recording: 11-12 Newland Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111874.

Record last edited

Feb 19 2020 1:54PM