Monument record 3619/0/29 - Medieval backplot activity, Middle Street

Archaeological excavation found a well, a gully and a spread of pits date from the medieval period. These features are likely to be part of back-plot activity associated with buildings on the Church Street frontage.

{1} A small excavation was undertaken prior to the construction of two houses on Middle Street. Just inside the plot was an elliptical limestone-built well. This had been set into a larger oval construction well-pit. Pottery from both the well-pit and the backfill of the well at its disuse show that its life lay entirely within the medieval period, probably the 13th-14th centuries. The well itself was curiously constructed, with its southern end un-lined in stone. This incomplete circuit may have had a deliberate purpose, but this is now lost. No parallels have been found. The well was altered on its west side where a portion had been cut away, the purpose unclear. It was backfilled with limestone rubble and included some secondary pottery (rubbish) dumping. This was excavated to a depth of about 800mm, but this was curtailed when ground water began to rise and voids were
encountered making stability of the fills questionable to work in.

There was a scatter of pits of different sizes, ranging from 2m across to c400mm diameter. The site comprised the burial of a complete cow, the cut to which was seen relatively high in the sequence. Although considered here to be part of the overall medieval occupation of the site, this means it may well be later in date. This was not excavated. There was a long straight gully some 500mm wide, which from its location was probably an early plot boundary, replaced by the existing boundary wall along Middle Street. It was truncated at the western end where the ground had been previously reduced. It was not accompanied by any bank or evidence of fence or hedge.

<1> Soden, I. And Walker, C., 2014, Roman and medieval remains at Middle Street, Isham, Northamptonshire, checked (Report). SNN110267.

Record last edited

Jan 29 2019 10:18AM