Monument record 5211/1/1 - Possible early Saxon barrow, west of St Andrews Road

In the late 19th-century a small mound was removed as part of the wider development of the railway. It was located in the north part of the inner bailey of the castle, west of the north gate. However, a burial with a scramasax (or seax) was reportedly found beneath it. The scramasax would suggest that the mound dated to the early Saxon period, therefore pre-dating the castle. Summary from record 5211/1/1: A small mound was removed in 1879 when the site was quarried away for a railway goods shed. An inhumation and scramasax were found

{1}Small mound surveyed within castle inner bailey & marked on published plan; on removal appeared to be same date as castle earthwork; sepulchral tumulus beneath which were found remains of human skeleton & portion of heavy sword with wooden hilt; hilt crumbled when exposed to air but remainder now in Northampton Museum;

{2}Small mound sealed by bailey bank on north-west side of castle; beneath was found remains of human skeleton & portion of heavy sword with wooden hilt which would suggest it was burial mound of early Saxon date;{1}Small mound surveyed within castle inner bailey & marked on published plan; on removal appeared to be same date as castle earthwork; sepulchral tumulus beneath which were found remains of human skeleton & portion of heavy sword with wooden hilt; hilt crumbled when exposed to air but remainder now in Northampton Museum;

{4} Site was quarried away for a railway goods yard at SP74856051.

{6} The investigation of a small mound at some point in, or prior to, 1880, to the west of the castle's north gate found a human skeleton with a scramasax, suggesting this was an early Saxon burial mound. In 1880, Scriven wrote that 'It had apparently been formed as a sepulchral tumulus, as under it were found the remains of a human skeleton and a portion of a heavy sword with a wooden hilt, which however crumbled when exposed to the air.' Later correspondence with the british Museum suggested that it was 'a 'scramma sax', or rather a half one, a type of weapon rare in England, but common on the Continent.' A modern assessment of the weapon has been advised (and radiocarbon dating of any retained human remains).

<1> Law, E. F. & Scriven R.G., 1880, The Earthwork on The Site of The Castle at Northampton, p.204 (checked) (Series). SNN4072.

<2> Chapman A., Northampton Castle: A Review of The Evidence, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN2966.

<3> 1879, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.204 (unchecked) (Series). SNN21368.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.326/Site 5 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> 1881/1882, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.71-72 (unchecked) (Series). SNN56663.

<6> Chapman, A, 2021, Northampton Castle Part 1: Introduction, pre-castle archaeology, and the history and topography of the castle, p. 154; Figs 32, 34 and 35 (Article). SNN112914.

Record last edited

Apr 23 2025 5:48PM