Monument record 3340/1 - Yardley Hastings Manor

Yardley Hastings manor house (site of) and earthworks. A large rectangular enclosure bounded by a bank c1m high with various irregular earthworks inside. Archaeological evaluaiton in 1981 suggested that some of the mounds were the result of medieval quarrying.

{?}Yardley was in the late Saxon period a manor of the Earl of Northampton which was the centre of his largest estate in the county and which covered many townships. Archaeological excavation to the north of the manor has revealed timber buildings of the late Saxon period, confirming late Saxon activity on the site. This manor continued in existence during the medieval period.

{1} Site Of Manor House (?) (SP 866571; Fig. 165), in the N.E. of the village, immediately N. of the church and Manor Farm. It consists of a large rectangular enclosure bounded by a low bank up to 1 m. high with similar internal banks at its E. end. At the W. end are irregular platforms and depressions, perhaps the sites of former buildings, and in the centre are three plough ridges (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 4007, 2008, and air photographs in NMR). Fragments of the medieval manor house stand close by (VCH Northants., IV (1937), 296–7) and the earthwork remains may be part of the associated stockyard and gardens. In 1760 a single building stood in the area and this still remained in 1842

{4} In 1981 an evaluation was carried out prior to development. The results suggested that some of the low mounds at the west of the remains proved to be the result of localised medieval quarrying.

{6} Standing remains are recorded as SP 85 NE 41.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.185 site 24 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> 1760, Northants Record Office map including Yardley Hastings 1760, (unchecked) (Map). SNN32380.

<3> 1842, Yardley Hastings Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN32381.

<4> Jackson, D. & Foard, G., 1994, Anglo-Saxon Occupation at Yardley Hastings, Northants, 25/93 (checked) (Article). SNN40465.

<5> Markham C.A., 1904, The Manor House, Yardley Hastings, (checked) (Article). SNN62933.

<6> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, R1 ESL 06-NOV-91 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<7> Aerial Photograph, AP (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926 4007 2008) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<8> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 296-7 (Series). SNN100371.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:23PM