Monument record 3340/1/4 - Anglo-Saxon occupation, Yardley Hastings

Limited excavations just to the north of the church revealed the foundation trench of a late Saxon timber building. There was evidence of possible stone founded buildings were in use as early as the 7th or 8th centuries. Tthe remains may be part of an early manor.

{1} Evidence of Anglo-Saxon occupation was revealed in 1982 when a site north of the church was developed for housing and a limited excavation was carried out. The earliest feature was Ditch A, which contained pottery which dates it to no later than the 8th century. The ditch ran in an east-west direction and was traced across the site during development for a minimum distance of 46 metres. Lime mortar as well as a possible remnant of stone walling occurred in the infilling of the ditch. The presence of mortar at Yardley Hastings at this time may suggest that the site was above average status. Ditches B and C in trench 3 run parallel to ditch A but situated some 9.5m to the north. They appear to extend over a similar distance. Ditch C was propably a re-cutting or a replacement of Ditch B. Pottery in Ditch C dates them to this period. Other features such as pit F59 or gulley F61 may date from this period.
In trench 2, the wall trench of a presumed rectangular building was excavated. It was assigned the period "late Saxon-850-1100".The plan of the building 10.5m long was partly recovered, with the east side presumed to lie outside the area being developed. The wall trench was flat bottomed with near verticle sides, and varied between 0.45 and 0.7m width and between 0.1 and 0.19m in depth. A number of deeper holes and depressions of the trench probably represent the position of structual timbers and two internal post-holes which are roughly parallel to the north wall. A small patch of burnt subsoil, may indicate the position of an internal hearth or oven. The building overlies Ditch A, which contains 8th century pottery.

Many of the post-holes to the west of Building 1 are alligned and could possibly represent another building. The post-holes situated to the north of Ditch A were shallow and it is clear that there may have been others which did not survive. A number of post-holes to the south of Ditch A were also aligned but two of these were more substantial and may either represent a doorway or an independent two-post structure.

The post-in-trench building is of an identical type to some contemporary structures in Raunds which are associated with the early manor.

{3} Full pottery report.

<1> Jackson, D. & Foard, G., 1994, Anglo-Saxon Occupation at Yardley Hastings, Northants, 25/94; https://doi.org/10.5284/1083241 (Article). SNN40465.

<2> Jackson, D., 1990, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49685.

<3> Terry Pearson, Yardley Hastings Manor, The Saxon and Medieval Pottery (Report). SNN116365.

Record last edited

May 22 2024 10:54AM