Monument record 1160/3/3 - Medieval ditch and tanning, south-west of St Peter's Way

Two adjacent trial trenches on St Peters Way identified a substantial ditch which contained pottery from the 13th-14th centuries. A heavily robbed wall was identified on the northern edge of the ditch. At the time, the features were interpreted as the medieval town defences. However, these features do not align with the later discovery of the defences at Green Street. A tanning industry dating to the 13th century was also identified.

{1}Ditch & heavily robbed wall of medieval defences filled in by C16th;

{2}Heavily robbed stone wall 1.2m wide revealed on northern lip of defencive ditch; wall may have gone out of use as early as late C13th when area became used for tanning purposes; ditch c.10m wide & only 0.8m deep located 2m below modern ground surface; northern edge of ditch was also located in second trench excavated but its south side ditch had been removed by modern sewer trenches; possible recuts were noted in fills; majority of pottery indicated C13/14th date although there may have been an earlier phase; ditch apparently completely filled in by C16th & possibly considerably earlier;

{3}First evidence for town wall on south-west side of Northampton; heavily robbed remains of stone wall 1.2m thick uncovered on inner lip of shallow & flat-bottomed ditch; ditch up to 13.4m wide but only 0.8m deep; wall may have gone out of use as early as late C13th when area inside ditch was given over to tanning; ditch itself was completely filled in by C16th at latest & certainly town defences in this area had disappeared by time of Speed's map of 1610;

{6}Medieval defences revealed;

{7}Town's medieval defences located; first evidence for wall on south-west side of town; heavily robbed remains of stone wall 1.2m thick revealed on inner lip of shallow & flat-bottomed ditch; latter up to 13.4m wide; wall may have gone out of use as early as late C13th when area inside ditch given over to tanning; ditch filled in by C16th at latest;

[8} In light of the discoveries at Green Street c100m to the north-west, the interpretation needs reassessing.

<1> SHAW M., 1987, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50640.

<2> SHAW M., 1988, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN49519.

<3> Young S.M.; Clark J.; Barry T., 1988, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1987, p.265 (checked) (Notes). SNN878.

<4> 1987, Northamptonshire Archaeology Unit: Report for 1987, (checked) (Report). SNN55128.

<5> SHAW M., 1988, EXCAVATION SUMMARY: ST PETERS WAY, NORTHAMPTON, (unchecked) (Note). SNN51880.

<6> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, P122 (Article). SNN104441.

<7> SHAW M., 1988, NORTHAMPTON, 62 (Note). SNN46017.

<8> Northamptonshire HER, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, pers comm Mike Shaw 03/25 (Oral Report). SNN115011.

<9> Welsh T.C., 2000-01, Documentary Sources for The Course of The Medieval Town Wall, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN103958.

Record last edited

May 8 2025 6:42PM