Monument record 3990/1 - Early Saxon Cemetery, Rothwell Gullet

Saxon mixed rite cemetery found North of Rothwell Wood between 1912-13. A total of 15 urns were uncovered, some plain, some ornamented, and only one, the largest, contained bones. Beside this urn was a socketed spearhead. Other finds included 2 strings of beads, 6 bronze cruciform and other fibulae, two brooches, two finger rings, a circular saucer-shaped brooch, a long brooch, several other bronze items and two Roman coins. Inhumations were also found and they are assumed to be of the same period. The finds were made in the ironstone workings, the first being about 400 yds from Rothwell Wood, the next about 150 yds north of the north side of the wood, then 250 yds further west and the last 250-300 yds NNW of the northern corner of the wood. Doubts have been expressed as to whether all these finds are from the same place. The finds now in Cambridge definitely came from this site. Those in the Ashmolean may be from another, unlocated site.

{1} Anglo-Saxon urns found in area to north of Rothwell Wood. A total of 15 urns were uncovered, some plain and others ornamented. Only the largest one contained bones. Lying beside this was a socketed spearhead. Other finds included two strings of beads and six bronze cruciform brooches, other fibulae and two other brooches. Also two finger rings and a circular saucer-shaped brooch, a long brooch and several other items including two Roman coins.
Inhumations were also found and they are assumed to be of the same period. The finds were made in the ironstone workings, the first being about 400 yds from Rothwell Wood, the next about 150 yds north of the north side of the wood, then 250 yds further west and the last 250-300 yds NNW of the northern corner of the wood.
(Thus area centred: SP 802816).

{3} At least eight Saxon urns, a spearhead, two strings of beads and various fibulae and brooches and two rings were discovered as well as other bronze items. Doubts have recently been expressed as to whether finds are from same place. Those now at Cambridge are definitely from this site, whilst those in the Ashmolean may be from another, unlocated site at Rothwell.

{4} Anglo-Saxon cemetery, including inhumations assumed to be of same period as the cremations. Finds located: i) about 400yds from Rothwell Wood, ii) 150yds north of north side of Rothwell Wood, iii) 250yds further west, iv) 250-300yds north-north-west of north corner of Rothwell Wood.

{7} About ten Anglo-Saxon urns were held at Cambridge University Museum in 1971.

{8} DH Kennett has now examined all the Anglo-Saxon material from this parish. He concludes that the material in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford may not be from the same site as that in the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge. That in Cambridge was found in 1912 and 1913 during workings for ironstone on the north side of Rothwell Wood but the location of the ironstone workings which produced the material in the Ashmolean Museum is not known. This material was seen by the late ET Leeds in 1913 and had been found some years before that. There is thus a case for two cemeteries both of 6th century date in this parish as would seem to be the case with Brixworth. Both cemeteries of Anglo-Saxon date may have been laid out around a Bronze Age barrow as both collections contain at least one Bronze Age cremation urn.

<1> 1917, Proceedings of The Cambridge Antiquarian Society, p.59-63+191 (unchecked) (Series). SNN45066.

<2> Cambridge Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN58848.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.130 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP88SW17 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Ashmolean Museum Accession Register, (checked) (Catalogue). SNN10110.

<6> Meaney A.L., 1964, Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites, p.195-96 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN10289.

<7> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<8> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p.166 (checked) (Report). SNN41605.

<9> MYRES J.N.L., 1977, A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Pottery of The Pagan Period (Both Vols), p. 103 (Book). SNN55363.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:24PM