Monument record 1160/0/204 - Medieval and post-medieval activity, Derngate frontage

Archaeological evaluation undertaken in 1991 and a watching brief undertaken in 1991 investigated part of the south frontage of Derngate. The only significant evidence of medieval activity was possible floor or yard surface around 5m back from the street. Finds evidence was generally characteristic of a modern urban tenement.

{1} Archaeological evaluation was undertaken in 1991. Trench E was located close to the Derngate frontage. Features included a posthole with sherd of medieval pottery. A cut feature with a flat base contained medieval pottery and sealed a shallow pit or posthole. Many pits were identified. An ironstone wall at the south end of Trench E appeared to represent a continuation of that found in Trench D [1160/0/236]. A stone-floored pit contained medieval pottery. Post medieval features. Two brick-lined wells, a small pit and a wall footing representing the back wall of a cellared building fronting onto Derngate. Also a layer of rubble, brick and slate.

{2} A watching brief was undertaken on the Derngate frontage over the course of 1997 (Area 2 and 2b). Within the north-west part of Area 2 was a compacted surface or shallow hollow of trampled subsoil of c. 13 sq m, subrectangular in plan and orientated north-west to south-east. It extended beyond the northern edge of the area. The hollow contained a fill with a large quantitiy of C13th pottery, many animal bone fragments and the remains of a pair of decorated bone tweezers. Patches of burning were observed and a single 0.3m deep posthole contained ironstone packing. The western edge of the hollow was defined by a very shallow linear feature 3.5m long x 0.90m wide.
A large pit was partially revealed but extended under the standing building at the west end of the excavation area. Its fill produced a mixed assemblage of pottery dating from the C12th-C15th and some bone fragments.

A large ditch ran across the eastern half of Area 2, orientated north-east to south-west. It was about 4m wide x 0.6m deep. The fill contained C17th-C18th pottery.
Overlying the ditch were the partially robbed remains of two insubstantial stone footings c.0.5m wide. A similarly orientated and partially robbed footing 0.9m wide was also identified at the west end of Area 2. The very disturbed remains of a further footing ran at right-angles to the south-west and extended under the standing building.
In the eastern half of Area 2 were also three linear features, all evidently the truncated remians of modern drains, one circular brick-lined well shaft and one square stone-lined cess pit. The fills of these features contained C19th-C20th artefacts.

{3} Trench E contained many medieval features including postholes. A watching brief by OAU in 1999 on land adjacent to 44 Derngate found a possible C13th working surface c.2m below the ground level sealed by 1m of ironstone rubble as well as some medieval pits and a possible ironstone wall.

<1> Shaw, M.; Steadman, S. & Webster, M., 1992, Northampton High School for Girls, Derngate Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 2 - Fieldwork, p.10 (checked) (Report). SNN108734.

<1> Shaw, M.; Steadman, S. & Webster, M., 1992, Northampton High School for Girls, Derngate Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 2 - Fieldwork, p.9-10 (checked) (Report). SNN108734.

<1> Hiller J. Hardy A. Blinkhorn P., 2001, Excavations at Derngate Northampton 1997-2000 Draft Publication Report, p.16-17 (checked) (Report). SNN103078.

<2> Hiller J. Hardy A. Blinkhorn P., 2001, Excavations at Derngate Northampton 1997-2000 Draft Publication Report, p.16 (checked) (Report). SNN103078.

<3> Atkins R., 2000, Archaeological Watching Brief at 64 Derngate, Northampton, (checked) (Report). SNN100280.

Record last edited

Apr 29 2026 4:58PM