Monument record 3738/0/55 - Saxon defences, Earls Barton

Removal of a playground and retaining wall revealed revealed part of the defensive perimeter of a previously unknown late Saxon burh (fortified settlement). The remains consisted of a palisade-revetment trench and double enceinte of counterscarps and ditches.

{1} The archaeological investigation at Earls Barton Primary School revealed the remains of a previously unknown late Saxon burh. Excavations during the construction of a new classroom block uncovered a palisade revetment trench and a double ditch system, which together formed part of the defensive perimeter of the burh. These features were located approximately 170 meters southeast of the Bury Mount and 150 meters from the Saxon church, suggesting a much larger fortified area than previously hypothesized. The morphology of the defences, comprising a timber revetment, berm, and substantial ditches, closely resembles known late Saxon burh structures elsewhere in England. Pottery recovered from the trench and ditches dates broadly to the 11th century, possibly extending into the early 12th century, indicating the dismantling of the timber structures around that time. There are presently two theories for the origin of the burh. The first is that it belongs to the period of the Saxon re-conquest of the Danelaw which began in AD 913, a joint offensive carried out by King Edward of the West Saxons and Æthelflæd of Mercia, the son and daughter of King Alfred. The second, is that it was constructed by a wealthy thegn, who may have also been responsible for building the tower of Earls Barton’s church, which is thought to date from c. AD 970.

The spatial extent of the burh has now been redefined to encompass a perimeter of approximately 740 meters, enclosing an area of about 3.9 hectares. This revised boundary includes the turriform church and the ditched earthwork surrounding the Bury Mount, both nationally significant monuments. The discovery allows for a reconsideration of the origins of the medieval township and its development. Environmental evidence from the defensive features suggests prolonged waterlogging, with the ditches eventually becoming overgrown and filled with silts and vegetation. Later, the area was reclaimed through the deposition of thick layers of clay, although the exact timing of this event remains undated. The investigation has opened up opportunities for further scientific analysis, including radiocarbon and dendrochronological dating, which could refine the chronology of the burh’s construction, use, and abandonment. Overall, the findings provide compelling evidence for the existence of a substantial Saxon fortification at Earls Barton.

{2} Radiocarbon dating of carbonised cereal grains from the palisade revetment-trench produced calibrated date ranges spanning the late Anglo-Saxon era and suggests that the defences were dismantled and abandoned during the 11th century, although their demise may have come shortly after the Norman Conquest. Two radiocarbon-dated oak timbers from the uppermost fill of the inner defensive ditch revealed that the earthworks remained extant until the 14th century, before being sealed by substantial land-reclamation deposits.

<1> Martin Wilson, 2025, Archaeological Investigation at Earls Barton Primary School, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116895.

<2> Martin Wilson, 2026, Late Anglo-Saxon Defences at Earls Barton Primary School, Northamptonshire: Results of Radiocarbon Dating & Review of the Archaeological Evidence (Report). SNN117190.

Record last edited

Oct 14 2026 11:10AM