Monument record 727/2/4 - Possible Medieval/Post Medieval Defensive Ditch & Bank

{4} Excavation 1954, bank heightened to a V profile ditch 6m wide x 3m deep which cuts through earlier Roman ditch. This possibly represents Prince Ruperts refortification of 1643. Stone found within the ditch represents the deliberate slighting of the defences in 1644.
Possible Norman ditch identified through a reinterpretation of the 1954 excavation, if the analysis is correct it may mean the ditch returns in the direction of Bury Mount. Also evidence for a recut of the great ditch between the 6-13th centuries.

{5} During the 17-18th centuries the area was systematically dug over for stone leaving robber trenches of the former position of the town walls.
Behind the robber trench of the Roman town wall a layer of brown clayey loam contained a 15-16th century bung which may relate to the 17th century refortification. Directly in front of the robber trench a bedding trench 2.4m wide and 600mm deep, was contained on its outer side by the remains of a dry stone wall. The stones were mostly large squared limestone blocks with a few pieces of limestone. This seems to represent the remains of the slighted civil war defences, 1644. No remains of the Roman or Saxon wall was detected above ground.

<1> Woodfield C., 1992, SUPPLEMENTARY FILE, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN51889.

<2> Woodfield C., 1992, The Defences of Towcester, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Article). SNN60159.

<3> 1991, CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN55164.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.153 Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<5> Brown A.E.; Alexander J.A., 1982, Excavations at Towcester 1954: The Grammar School Site, p32 (Article). SNN102436.

Record last edited

Jan 14 2015 4:14PM