Monument record 4/2 - Kings Sutton Market

{1} The settlement is certainly worthy of detailed investigation with regard to its Saxon character and origins including the origins and development of the Domesday market. It is one of only four markets certainly in existence by 1086 and is the only one of these were there are extensive areas of the market place and its environs which have not been extensively built over disturbed in the post medieval and modern periods. As such there is a very high archaeological potential for the study of the Saxon and early medieval commercial aspects of the settlement, on the back of the wider study of the settlement for its high Saxon importance.

Brief synopsis of Market history:

Domesday market
Monday market 1252 and fair S. James.
1330 confirmation
1331-2 omission from extent.

It was a major royal estate centre and old minster in 1086 and had a market at that time. It is unclear whether the market continued to function through to the 13th century but it was undoubtedly overshadowed rapidly in the 12th century with the growth of Banbury and the foundation of the major new town at Brackley. In 1252 a Monday market and a fair on the vigil, feast and morrow of St. James the Apostle were granted to Stephen Longspe. This was confirmed by quo warranto writ of 1330 although there appears to be no income from the market or fair recorded in the extent of 1331-2. It must be assumed that, if not already decayed, the market failed in the recession of the second half of the 14th century. The market was never re-founded.

With regard to the commercial functions, particular attention should be given to the market place and its immediate environs in order to identify any evidence of shops or stalls and other activity on the market place itself and also to identify the frontages onto the market place where the most important tenements and commercial activity is to be expected. Although much of the rest of the settlement core is fairly heavily built up this is largely with historic buildings over a good deal of the area. There is therefore the potential for other Saxon and medieval archaeological evidence from these other parts of the settlement. Although the historic buildings in the settlement, especially the court house, may be worth of study in their own right, given the early demise of the market it is unlikely that they will contribute at all to the understanding of the commercial functions of the medieval settlement.

The market place can be identified with the area of open green to the south east of the church and adjacent to the court house. It was not determined b the examination of the early maps whether this was the full extent of the original market place. The location of the Saxon central place is uncertain but it may be on the limestone spur on which the church and former market place sit. However the well associated with St Rumbold lies north east of the church below the spur.

<1> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Overview, Appendix 2 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103118.

Record last edited

Aug 7 2014 2:25PM