Monument record 3680/1 - Early Saxon Cemetery, south-west of Bottom Lodge

Anglo Saxon possible mixed cemetery found in 1879 to the east of the byroad to Thorpe Malsor. The only evidence for a cemetery were the several finds, which included a bronze bowl with handle, a workbox, a sword and a spearhead. All the finds were dispersed.

{1} A number of finds were made from 1879 onwards, including an iron spearhead, two circular bronze brooches, a bronze tube 5cm long, perhaps a horn mount, a silver wire ring, a sword blade 70cm long, a skillet or bronze bowl with a handle and traces of gilding in the interior, a work box and beads, three of patterned terracotta and one of blue glass. They were found at a depth of about 1m, close to very decayed human bones of both sexes. There were also two pots, one of which was a black jug 15cm high roughly made, with lugs on the bellied part.

{2} (On the finds at Cransley). A curious urn about 5 1/2 inches high was found, it has lugs or rudimentary handles at intervals, it tapers towards the mouth, and its base is crudely rounded. (Ref PSA IX, 92 where it is incorrectly said to be from Twywell).

{5} At Cransley, a ? Mixed cemetry, SP838778; finds as in {10}. Now in British Musuem.

{10} A number of finds were made from 1879 onward during ironstone digging, in connection with the Cransley Ironworks about one mile from Cransley, 100-200 yards east of the bye-road from Cransley Village to Thorpe Malsor. (Sitting probably at SP 839778), where old ironstone pits are shown on OS 6" 1958). The finds included:

An iron spearhead and sword blade, two bronze brooches, beads (of terra-cotta, and one of glass), and a wire earring. Two pottery vessels, one ornamented with zig-zags [subsequently found to be Bronze Age- HER no: 3679/1/1]; the other a jug of black pottery with pointed knobs on the bellied part; and a bronze handled bowl with traces of gilding in the interior.
Severed circular bronze containers with lids were also found, and a bronze conical tube; probably a horn mounting. The beads and sword were found with human remains.

Trenches of black earth occurred in places, and fragments of bone and pottery were found.

{11} The urn described in {2} is classified as Anglo Saxon by the BM. The illustration in the Accessions Register (1882-6-22 No 2) agrees with that in {10} where it was said to be from Twywell, but the register notes that No 8 on page 94 of {10} refers.

{12} The probable area of this cemetery (as in authority 10) is partly under winter crop; the "Old Pits" are neglected and overgrown.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.28/Site 4 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.142+240 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP87NW10 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p.165 (unchecked) (Report). SNN41605.

<5> Meaney A.L., 1964, Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites, p.188 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN10289.

<7> Council for British Archaeology, 1976, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (34), p.20 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN104928.

<8> HYLTON T.; MASTERS P., 1998, Empingham to Hannington Anglian Water Pipeline, Northamptonshire Section, Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 1, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63049.

<9> MYRES J.N.L., 1977, A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Pottery of The Pagan Period (Both Vols), p. 102, Fig 87 (Book). SNN55363.

<10> 1882, Proceedings of The Society of Antiquaries, p. 93-5 (Uncertain). SNN33230.

<11> British Museum Accession Register, Accession No: 1882,0622.1 (Catalogue). SNN10055.

<12> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 25-NOV-69 (Notes). SNN112950.

<13> Geake, H, 1997, Use of grave goods in conversion period England, c. 600 - c. 850, p. 171 (Monograph). SNN114719.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:24PM