Monument record 4959/1/2 - Church, St James' Abbey

{1}First monastic buildings were probably made of wood & intended to be temporary for in July 15th 1173 Abbot Ralph & his Canons left former habitation to occupy new Church of St James & began to inhabit Monastery; early in C13th new Monastery seriously injured by disastrous fire & in 1223 Henry III granted 30 rafters to be used in work of rebuilding; seven years later work of rebuilding still incomplete & grant of two oaks made towards building of church tower; in late C13th/early C14th abbey church was again either partially or entirely rebuilt; eight oaks granted from Salcey for this purpose; in 1310 licence granted for two altars in abbey church & two years later altars to St Margaret & St Katherine added; early in C14th Thomas Forestar & Geoffrye Kelmers paid rentals to provide altar lights in church & other grants made towards altars in abbey church included foundation of chantry by Isabel de Grey; many other records of donations towards abbey church & burials within church;

{8}July 15th 1173 Abbot Ralph & his Canons left former habitation to occupy new Church of St James & began to inhabit Monastery;

{10}Seven years later work of rebuilding still incomplete & grant of two oaks made towards building of church tower;

{9}Seven years later work of rebuilding still incomplete & grant of two oaks made towards building of church tower;

{7}16th April 1173 occupied new stone church; 1229 Henry III gave two oaks towards tower for church; abbey church rebuilt on large scale during reign of Edward I who donated timber; licence obtained for dedication of two altars in church in 1310 which might indicated completion of building; many persons of rank & distinction sought interment within abbey church; 1485 John Catesby willed to be buried there; also Richard Woodville in 1490; in 1496 Thomas Lord Borough directed in his will that stone be laid upon mother lying interred in abbey; others requesting burial included Richard Berde in 1501;

{2}Canons moved from perhaps temporary accommodation into new buildings including church in 1173;

{4}Site of church & abbey considered to be in close of about six acres called Fair-yard Close;

{5}First abbot Ralph was responsible for rebuilding of church & abbey on new site; in 1173 monks were able to leave old quarters & take possession of new house; site of church & churchyard about two acres;

{6}List of bequests & dedications to Abbey of St James includes request by Sir Robert Parke in 1519 to be buried before our Lady in church within abbey;

{3}Sometime after 1158 church & abbey were rebuilt & monks were in possession of their new house in 1173;

{11} The foundations or robber trenches of two major stone walls aligned E-W were located respectivley in Trenches 1 and 2 and in Trench 3. They are presumed to represent the north and south walls of the nave of the abbey church. As this building was 15m wide ther is no doubt that it would have been aisled, but no evidence for this was recovered. It is possible that to the east of Trench 2 there may have been transepts extending to the north and south, while the chancel probably lay beneath the access road at the eastern end of the site. The abbey church may have been some 75m long.
From the robber trenches it can be determined that the walls were c. 1.5m wide and they were founded in deep construction trenches. The surviving foundations, in Trench 1, were of unmortared stone, while the wall itself comprised a core of mortared rublle faced with roughly squared ironstone blocks.
Amoung the stone rubble and architectural fragments ironstone was most common, but limestone was also well represented. Fragments of circular mouldings from door or window surrounds or from columns were fairly common, and some still had whitewashed surfaces. A few larger pieces were also recovered, including part of a decorated capital from a column and a moulded window mullion. Further evidence for the quality of these buildings came from the recovery of decorated glazed floor tiles and painted window glass and window lead. In addition, the building had been roofed in limestone but with ceramic ridge tiles.
No intact floor surfaces were found, but thin layers of clean sand and sandy clays appeared to be sub-floor make-up layers. This suggests some areas of intact floor might survive, as might any below ground structures such as crypts, undercrofts or burial vaults.
The walls had largely been robbed, most probably in the mid-16th century, soon after the dissolution, and this robbing had been carried well down into the construction trenches. It suggest that little of the standing walls, or even of the foundations, of the abbey church will have survived, although the plan will clearly be defined by abbey trenches. (The map shows probable position of buildings, based on evidence).

<1> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1906, The Abbey of St. James, Northampton, 243-66 (Article). SNN2183.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.264-65 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.118+307-8 Handwritten notes in NDC SMR File M20;; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<4> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.144-45 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.501-503 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<6> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.228-29 (checked); Copy in NDC SMR File M20; (Extract). SNN1080.

<7> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.127-30 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<8> MS.TOP.NORTHANTS., C.5 F.479 (Document). SNN48804.

<9> Calendar of Patent Rolls (undated), 14 Henry III memb.7 (unchecked) (Document). SNN978.

<10> Calendar of Close Rolls (undated), 14 Henry III/M.21 (unchecked) (Document). SNN2187.

<11> Chapman A., 2000, Archaeological Evaluation Of The Former Express Lift Company, Abbey Works, Weedon Road, Northampton, P. 27 (Report). SNN100471.

Record last edited

Jul 11 2017 10:02AM