Monument record 130/100/84 - Medieval pits and boundaries, east of Manor Road

Archaeological evaluation identified a number of heavily truncated features of medieval date. Post-medieval features included the remains of structures that had stood in the south-eastern part of the site and the foundations of a demolished boundary wall that had fossilised the line of former medieval tenement boundaries. Summary from record 130/100/82: Post-medieval walls which may have fossilised medieval tenement boundaries

{1} Archaeological evaluation identified four highly truncated features, small pits and slots of uncertain function found under a post medieval garden soil. One of the features was burnt, although not heavily enough to denote an industrial usage such as smithing. These four shallow amorphous features were the earliest features found during the evaluation and dated to the medieval period and are likely to have been truncated.

A partially collapsed wall was found, orientated east-west, at the south end of Trench 1. Parch marks in the grass were observed along the entire length of the plot that was on the line of the wall, and which correponded to the end of an upstanding wall sited between two tenement plot boundaries east of the site. The end of the upstanding wall had been rebuilt in recent times. Both walls were of dry stone construction of white, unworked limestone slabs a maximum of 80mm thick. There was no construction cut present, but the wall was built into the top of the subsoil. This post-medieval boundary wall is likely to have fossilised the medieval tenement boundaries. Although a sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from within this wall, its construction and stratigraphic position is indicative of a post medieval date.

A further wall was found in trench 2, orientated north-south. No construction cut was present and the wall was bedded on a thin layer of hard grey mortar or cement, with a lower, roughly level course of broken red-brick. Over this was up to three courses of limestone bonded with a soft, cream-coloured lime mortar, with several squared facing stones still present. Remains of the structure still protrude through the ground surface. The method of construction was identical to the first wall. This wall appeared to align with a change within the build of the boundary wall where two separate levels were observed (ie no scar from where this wall attached, but was probably related with it).

Later features included, at the northern end of trench 1, recent brick rubble, limestone rubble, a soak-away pipe and trench that are still operational, and recent rubbish-filled pits to a depth of 0.7m. A small burnt hollow, probably the site of a small furnace for burning vegetation from school allotments, had scorched a thin lens of sand. In trench 2 a ceramic land-drain truncated a post medieval pit. A further modern pit was located in this trench cut against the rear of a wall. A small rectangular pit of post medieval date was also found in trench 2, and may have been within a plot boundary or inside a building as defined by the wall. The pit cut was lined on all sides with a band of redeposited stiff grey clay, perhaps used to retain water or cess deposits.

<1> Thorne A.; Pears B., 2003, Archaeological Assessment of Winchester House School Extension, Brackley, Northamptonshire, P. 11, 12 & 15 (Report). SNN103166.

<1> Thorne A.; Pears B., 2003, Archaeological Assessment of Winchester House School Extension, Brackley, Northamptonshire, P.11 &15 (Report). SNN103166.

Record last edited

May 27 2021 10:05AM