Monument record 1160/0/3 - Early Saxon Occupation, St Peter's Gardens

Saxon features pre-dating the Saxon timber halls included two/three possible sunken-featured buildings as well as foundation trenches, postholes and other features of further timber buildings.

{2} Remains of two probably early Saxon sunken-featured buildings were uncovered.

{1} In Area AA there was an Early Saxon sunken featured building perhaps represented by deposits of charcoal layer mixed with clay & overlain by loamy sand; feature cut away on all sides; early-middle Saxon pottery recovered & C14 date of AD 470 +-70 obtained from charcoal. Foundation trenches of a possible timber building and a number of postholes and other features dated to the same phase.

In Trenches V-Z, there was one certain and one probable sunken-featured building. The former sunken-featured building was identified in the north-west of the site; over 3m long x 2.6m wide and a surviving depth of 0.29m; thirty nine sherds early/middle Saxon pottery were recovered from the fill along with incomplete double-sided composite comb. The latter example, which was immediately to the west was badly disturbed; dimensions unobtainable as mostly located under unexcavated ground; nine sherds early/middle Saxon pottery recovered from fill. There were also foundation trenches for a timber building. In addition there was a diverse collection of postholes & trenches & gullies & other features; possible building line defineable from these; several postholes appear to form one wall of free-standing timber building; some early/middle Saxon pottery recovered;

{3} A reappraisal of the radiocarbon dates using modern calibrations included the date from the Area AA SFB (340-600 cal AD @ 95% confidence).

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton, p.9, 15-16 (checked) (Report). SNN420.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 1, p.9, 15-16 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106748.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 2, p.15 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106749.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 4, p.9, 15-16 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106751.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.331 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 3, p.15-16 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106750.

<3> Chapman, A, 2021, Appendix 2: The Radiocarbon Dates, p. 64-68 (Appendix). SNN112910.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2025 10:58AM