Monument record 4395/1/3 - Lamport Windmill

A mound 24m in diameter and 1.5m high, surrounded by a ditch 1m deep and 7.5m wide, has been destroyed by ironstone-mining, but was excavated in 1954. The remains of two mills, one a post mill of the 13th to 15th centuries and the other dating from the 17th century, were discovered. Summary from record 4396/0/0: Mesolithic flint found during an excavation of 1954.

{1} The Lamport Mill stood on the southern edge of the parish to the immediate east of the London Road between Market Harborouogh and Northampton at SP738758 [should read SP758738]. The site was scheduled in 1953 as a round barrow, but this was proven by excavation not to be the case.
Thomas Eyre’s map published 1779 already described the mound as a ‘tumulous’, the mill having apparently been forgotten by then. A 1655 manuscript map of Hanging Houghton by Robert Smith (NRO Map 568), depicts the mill as a simple trestle mill on top of the mound. The mill stands immediately on the Lamport side of the Lamport/Hanging Houghton boundary. Further documentary evidence is provided by the Articles of Agreement of 1599, and leases of 1606, 1607 and 1622 (all NRO I.L.848-852). It should however be considered that the documentary evidence suggests that Lamport had more than one mill.

Prior to excavation the site appeared to consist of a fairly large flat-topped barrow, well covered with elm trees and having a pronounced ditch to the north, east and north-west sides; whilst a deep longitudinal trough, running from the east/south-east for a distance of over 250ft, interrupted the barrow ditch on the south and south-east. The field to the north and west of the mound contained ridge and furrow ploughing which would seem to have post-dated the mound.
The trees on the mound had been planted as part of a scheme of decorative landscaping by Sir Edmund Isham (d.1772) in the second half of the C18th.
A preliminary contour survey was carried out with the help of NNHSFC. This showed the mound to be fairly flat whilst a break of slope occurred halfway down. Contour plan illustrated.

It would seem therefore that the construction of the earliest mill dates to the late C13th to early C15th. Considerable weathering of the stonework suggests that the mill stood for some time before the mound was thrown up completely covering the stonework. The timber structure above was however never buried. Material for the mound was provided by the digging of the surrounding ditch which was 4ft deep x 26ft wide. A causeway was left on the south-east side, facing Hanging Houghton. The trough to the south-west was also partially excavated and found to pre-date the mound. The mound may have been built to facilitate access to the mill and to add strength to the foundations, as cracks had appeared in these.

At some point the early mill’s superstructure was destroyed or removed, and some robbing of the buried stonework took place. A much poorer built wall of narrower dimensions was then constructed over the primary wall, probably close to the end of the C16th, since a few small pieces of clay pipe stem were found within the fill of the robber trenches. The earliest documentary evidence for the windmill is 1599 (Article of Agreement, NRO, I.L.848). During reconstruction the mound was given a flat top by the addition of a capping of soil and ironstone rubble. An irregular hollow at the intersection of the secondary cross-walls indicates the positioning of the timber centre-post. The central area of the mound was covered with a fine layer of gravel and a circular paved path ran from cornerstone to cornerstone, providing a firm footing far adjustment of the sails. A further pathway appears to have run in the direction of Hanging Houghton. Evidence points to removal of the windmill, rather than destruction by fire or natural decay. Ring-dating of the elm trees indicates that they were planted towards the last quarter of the C18th. Thomas Eyre’s map published 1779 already described the mound as a ‘tumulous’, the mill having apparently been forgotten by then.
Numerous flints, probably Bronze Age, were found in the top layers of the mound and it was for a time thought possible that the mill may have been constructed upon a Bronze Age barrow. However, the discovery of a well-built sandstone and limestone wall indicated that the mound was thrown up against this wall and that the flints were incidental.

{2} Windmill mound lay east of the road to Hanging Houghton. A mound 24m in diameter and 1.5m high was surrounded by a ditch 1m deep x 7.5m wide. Now destroyed by ironstone mining. Excavated in 1954. A number of flints of Neolithic or Bronze Age type were found within the fabric of the mound and it is just possible that this was a re-used prehistoric round barrow.

{3} A 1655 manuscript map of Hanging Houghton by Robert Smith (NRO Map 568), depicts the mill as a simple trestle mill on top of the mound.

{4} Excavation in 1954 by M.Posnansky; C13th-C15th and C17th windmills revealed, surrounded by a round mound 24m in diameter x 1.5m high with a surrounding ditch 1m deep x 1.5m wide. There is a slight possibility that the mill re-uesd a pre-existing prehistoric round barrow.

{10} Excavation of 1954. Mesolithic site comprising a flint core and a number of un-retouched blades and flakes were found. In Northampton Museum.

{11} The Mound at SP 75787377 (that excavated in 1954) is now completely destroyed by ironstone quarrying. It seems possible that this was a barrow later used as a mill mound.

{12} No change.

{13, 14} The mound (SP 75787377) was excavated in 1954 by M Posnansky and two mills, one Medieval, the other early 17th cent were found, Neolithic-Bronze Age flints are also recorded from it.

<1> POSNANSKY M., 1956, The Lamport Post Mill, p.66-79 (part checked) (Article). SNN69782.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.116/Site 10 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<3> Smith R., 1655, Manuscript Map of Hanging Houghton (NRO Map 568), (unchecked) (Map). SNN19590.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP77SE3 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Steane J., 1974, The Northamptonshire Landscape, p.115 (unchecked) (Book). SNN5137.

<6> 1954, The Chronicle and Echo, 25/6/1954 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN19571.

<7> 1954, The Chronicle and Echo, 29/6/1954 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN19572.

<8> 1954, The Chronicle and Echo, 14/7/1954 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN19573.

<9> 1954, The Chronicle and Echo, 22/7/1954 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN19574.

<10> Wymer J.J. (Editor), 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites in England and Wales, p.217 (unchecked) (Series). SNN13869.

<11> Geary, E George, 1962, Field Investigators Comments, F1 EGG 29-AUG-1962 (Note). SNN115259.

<12> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 20-MAR-1969 (Note). SNN111452.

<13> Annotated Record Map, Rec 6" (A L F Rivet 7.1.55) (Map). SNN112961.

<14> Northamptonshire HER, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Letters (Sir Gyles Isham 30.8.62) (Oral Report). SNN115011.

<15> Historic England, Lamport mound- photographs (Archive). SNN115260.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:05PM