Monument record 1160/3/39 - Possible Alignment of Medieval Town Wall

Possible route for the medieval town walls

{1} Towards the north-eastern end of a trench situated on Upper Mounts, to the south-west of Earl Street, several large dressed stones were observed, which appeared to be within the backfill of an earlier service trench. These could have originally been part of a structure, possibly related to the medieval defences, which was disturbed by the earlier service trench and re-deposited in the backfill. Due to the limited extent of this trench, it was not possible to make a firm interpretation of this material. The neighbouring trenches failed to reveal any similar stone deposits or other archaeological features, suggesting that the stone was localised to the trench in which it was found.

{2} A newspaper article of 1883 which references “a slip of land, without the Town Wall” at about SP 74896089, which would fit in with the alignment of the medieval town walls.

{3} Welsh speculates that the wall on the west of the town was up to 50m west of the course suggested by the Royal Commission Inventory Vol 5, fig 7.

{4} Evaluation of the course of the medieval defences. Key differences between the RCHME plan include placing the wall further west to the rear of Cheyne Walk and on the north side of St Peter's Way.

<1> Hawtin, T., 2006, Watching Brief: Robert Street & Earl Street Water Main Renewals, Northampton (Report). SNN105699.

<2> Welsh, T, 2022, New Information on Northampton's Town Wall (Note). SNN114212.

<3> WELSH T.C., 1999, Document Search: The Town Wall, Derngate to Eastgate, (unchecked) (Document). SNN43754.

<4> Welsh T.C., 2000-01, Documentary Sources for The Course of The Medieval Town Wall, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN103958.

<5> FOARD G., 1995, The Early Topography of Northampton And Its Suburbs (Article). SNN104096.

Record last edited

Oct 19 2022 10:42AM