Monument record 1160/259/1 - Site of Saxon/medieval occupation, Horseshoe Street

Excavation on Horseshoe Street found a deep deposit of garden soil beneath which was a series of pits and gullies some containing pottery dating between the late Saxon period and c1350. A series of ditches may define the rear boundaries of tenements and the other features illustrate typical backyard activities. After the 14th century, a deep deposit of garden soil illustrates an extensive period of disuse.

{1}Area B lay further south on Horseshoe Street and measured 13m. N. by 6m. E. Under a deep deposit of garden soil was a series of pits and gullies some containing Saxo-Norman pottery.

{2}Late Saxon & medieval settlement remains; series of pits & gullies; some contained late Saxon pottery; two sherds early/middle Saxon pottery also found;

{3}No further details of finds; the site was trial trenched in Jan-Feb 1973 but not planned or drawn and excavated in April 1974. To be developed for Horseshoe Street dual carriageway.

{4} [report says Site A; matches with site M118]. Excavation undertaken in 1974. The earliest phase appears to predate c1100 (the date of a layer sealing the features), although only a single stratified sherd of pottery was recovered, there was a lrage quantity of residual pottery dating to the late 9th-early 10th century. Early hollows may represent clearance of the site and subsequently two parallel ditches, aligned north to south and c3.25m apart, were dug. Interpreted as possible drainage ditches and/or boundary ditches at the rear of a plot. There was a large number of postholes and stakeholes clustered around the ditches although they could not be resolved into building plans. The second phase, dating c1100-1200, began with the layer of mixed clay which covered the whole site- possibly a churned layer or a deliberate levelling layer. A further ditch parallel to Horseshoe street, again possibly a drainage and/or boundary ditch, and further pits, postholes and stakeholes. Later, two east-west aligned ditches were dug possibly indicating a re-alignment of property boundaries. In the period c1200-1350, further ditches, perhaps redefinition of boundaries, were dug as well as a number of pits. A pit and well contained pottery post-dating 1350 (although the pottery from the well is illustrating its disuse date). Otherwise a paucity of pottery after this date illustrates abandonment of occupation and a layer of soil, c1.5m thick, appears to have been a build-up of garden soil. The features from the excavation generally suggest an area located to the rear of tenements with evidence of back-yard activities.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p.169 (checked) (Report). SNN41605.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.390 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M118 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<4> Unknown, Undated, Archive report- Excavations on Horseshoe Street, Site A (Report). SNN116889.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2025 10:26AM