Monument record 3244/1/2 - Site of medieval and later earthworks, including medieval dovecote (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Site of a 13th-century dovecote

{2} 13th century dovecote site, proved by excavation; to the south is a modern tennis court, built up and to the east is a Victorian well;

{3} The 13th century dovecote site yielded a good group of pottery from an underlying ditch related to an earlier occupation; one group of pottery from the ditch dated to the late 12th century, another ditch group dated to the first half of the 13th century;

{4} At the east end of the street is a small area of low rectangular earthworks, the sites of buildings which had gone by 1583. An excavation here led to the discovery of a 13th century dovecote. Part of this area was later ploughed with ridge and furrow.

{5} The 13th century dovecote was well-preserved with 1m thick walls surviving to a height of 1.1m. The overall diameter was c6m and there was a central posthole, presumably for a revolving ladder (potence). The building overlay a late 12th century property boundary ditch.

{6} Part of the miller's house [?] was examined. It was partly built over a ditch. The walls were very well preserved at a height of 3ft 6in.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<2> 1969, Journal of The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery (6), p. 29 (Journal). SNN9670.

<3> HALL D.N., 1974, Medieval Pottery From The Higham Ferrers Hundred, Northamptonshire, p. 38 (Report). SNN71020.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 140/ site 7 (Series). SNN77380.

<5> Rahtz P. (Editor), 1971, Medieval Village Research Group (Vol.19), p. 30-31 (Annual Report). SNN58317.

<6> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Medieval), p. 4/24 (Article). SNN30971.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 6:21PM