Monument record 2882/2/8 - Late Medieval/Post Medieval Garden Terraces (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork.

{1}Garden remains - group of long terraces and platforms separated by scarps running parallel to natural slope.

{2} Earthwork remains of the medieval gardens of the manor house.

{3} {1} A third garden, also possibly of medieval date, has been found at Collyweston, Northamptonshire. The remains, though much damaged, consist of two sets of low terraces, bounded by scarps. One group has evidence of internal sub-divisions, presumably flower beds. Below them, on the hillside, is a set of contemporary fishponds. Documentary evidence shows that the garden was partly remodelled soon after 1486, but that perhaps it originated somewhat earlier, in 1453-5. The 'stone borders', which one John Steynesmore was paid 6d for constructing, were perhaps the edging to the flower beds which still survive. The site was abandoned in the mid C17th. Earthwork plan.

{4} The earth resistance did not locate any definite buildings in the area surveyed. There are traces of possible walls which may have retained the terraces. There is also a narrow line of high resistance which could be a wall or the line of a service pipe trench or similar.
On the main terrace, the line of high resistance with ditch-like low resistance alongside may be a track but this appears to widen at its northern end. Unfortunately the survey did not go further north to investigate the wider area.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.30 site 8 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77379.

<2> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<3> Taylor C., 1983, The Archaeology of Gardens, p.38-39 (checked) (Series). SNN41440.

<4> Abingdon Archaeological Geophysics, 2015, Collyweston terraces, p. 4 (Note). SNN110146.

Record last edited

Dec 14 2016 11:45AM