Monument record 2206/2 - Street Close, Armston DMV

The earthwork remains of a large earthwork enclosure bounded by a ditch up to 1.5m deep, now partly destroyed. Known as Street Close on a map of 1716. There was still a house in the north-west corner in 1716. Excavations by Oundle School in 1927 produced 'the remains of a row of small cottages'. Large quantities of medieval pottery have been discovered here. A hospital of St John the Baptist founded in 1232, or chapel of St Leonard, founded in the early 13th century, may have been situated within the enclosure or immediately to the west. Remains of one or the other of these buildings appear to have still stood in or before 1791 and chapel-like remains were found during the demolition of a farmhouse in 1890.

{1} The remains of a large rectangular enclosure, bounded by a ditch up to 1.5m deep, now partly destroyed. There was still a house near the north west corner in 1716. Unpublished excavations by Oundle School produced 'the remains of a row of small cottages.' Large quantities of medieval pottery, including St Neots Ware, have been discovered here.
The identification of this site with a chapel of St Mary Magdalene is incorrect, but a hospital of St. John the Baptist, founded in 1232 or a chapel of St Leonard founded in the early 13th century, may have been situated here.

{2} Excavation in 1927 recovered stone walls of buildings of a domestic character, apparently of several periods, together with a stone flag and cobble floor with drain channels, and a semi-circular setting of small cobbles. They also recovered a cobbled road, associated with finds from the 17th century. Field name: Street Close. The finds belonged to the 17th century.

{4} Documentary reference to a medieval chapel dedicated to St Leonard founded by Ralph de Trubville and his wife in the early C13th as a chapel of ease to Polebrook. It received a chantry in c. 1250 and by c.1500 seems to have been solely a chantry chapel. Its original function was taken over by that of a hospital chapel. Its remains were found at the end of the 19th century in a farmhouse to the east of the Green at TL06148591. The farm house was demolished c. 1890

{5} Documentary reference to a medieval hospital with chapel and cemetery in Armston. A hospital for the poor, aged and sick dedicated to St John the Baptist. Founded in 1232 and dissolved in 1536. Provision for a chaplain and lay brothers and worth £6B at is dissolution.

{6} Ralph de Trubville and his wife Alice built the hospital on their own land in Armston in 1232. It had a chapel with the right of burial. Masters are recorded from 1232-1540.

{8} There is a possible medieval well at TL06138591.

{9} There is the site of a chapel, possibly that of St. John Baptist. In or before 1791 there remained in a building here four large windows resembling 'chapel windows,' and a high arched roof within and two columns without. The remains of the chapel of St. Leonard at Armston were also found at the end of the 19th century in a farmhouse to the east of the Green, and near to them were some evidences of a moat and fishponds. This chapel was founded apparently by Ralph de Trubleville and Alice his wife early in the 13th century, who gave it to Royse lady of Polbrook and patron of the church, together with six acres of land. Whereupon Royse gave to the chapel a font for the baptism of infants and provided a chaplain to say services daily excepting burial of the dead. There was an altar of St. Mary in the chapel. The abbot of Peterborough was bound to find a chaplain to say divine service daily for the soul of Robert le Fleming.

{11} In 1969, the farmer said that the house noted by VCH stood at TL 0614 8591. It was demolished in 1890 to provide building material for an extension to the Manor House. Which if either of the chapels this was the remains of was not determined.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.77/Site 5 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<2> Brown A.E.; Hadman J.A., 1976, Some Forgotten Northamptonshire Excavations, 11/177-8 (unchecked) (Article). SNN107522.

<3> Doubleday H A (ed), 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL08NE9 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.313+339 (checked) (Book). SNN10192.

<6> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.149 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<7> OUNDLE SCHOOL, 1927-32, Oundle School: Extracts from Commemoration Book, 1928/44-46+1932/47-49 (unchecked) (Extract). SNN47497.

<8> LONDESBOROUGH S.D., Letter, 4/8/60 (unchecked) (Letter). SNN59908.

<9> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.101+104-105 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<10> Wright T., 1909, MANUSCRIPT NOTES ON BARNWELL ESTATE, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN59907.

<11> BHS, 1969, Field investigators comments (Notes). SNN111907.

Record last edited

Mar 13 2020 2:05PM