Monument record 727/2/5 - Civil war defensive ditch

{2} A deep ditch, the base of which was just visible above the 3.15m depth of the sewer trench and therefore 1-1.5m deeper than the Roman ditch. The fill was black, waterlogged and full of decaying vegetable matter and wood. One cup or tyg handle with a black/purple glaze. Thought to be Prince Rupert's ditch of 1643-4.

{3} The ditch was observed again during the construction of a new petrol tank in 1982, stopping short of the modern Watling Street by at least 10m.

Brunskill R.W., 1992, Traditional Buildings Of Britain: An Introduction to Vernacular Architecture (Book). SNN2.

<1> 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.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1978, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1977, 13/183 (Journal). SNN2192.

<3> Woodfield, C., 1976?, Towcester- Anglian Water Authority Sewer Trench, February to October 1976, Site 3/p. 8 (Uncertain). SNN51901.

<4> Woodfield C., 1992, The Defences of Towcester, Northamptonshire, p. 24 (Article). SNN60159.

Record last edited

Nov 10 2016 2:56PM