Monument record 1160/3/2 - Outer defences, north of Abington Square

A watching brief on the north side of Abington Square found a large ditch, aligned north-west to south-east, containing 13th-14th century pottery

{1}Watching brief carried out in April 1988 by M. Shaw., to the N of Abington Square for the construction of a multi-story carpark. At the south end of the site a ditch c.6m wide and c.1.3m deep was seen in section. Overlain by C19th material. Ditch fills contained C13th-C14th pottery. Ditch could be followed for a distance of 7m running NW. Due to C19th terracing further traces of the ditch disappeared. Ditch ran parallel to Lower Mounts at a distance of 55m to its NE. Ditch may represent the line of a short-lived outer defence around the town's East Gate. The only other feature discovered was a pit (or pits) c.10m to the SW of the ditch. No dating evidence from the pits.,

{3}Watching brief carried out in April 1988 by M. Shaw., to the N of Abington Square for the construction of a multi-story carpark. S end of the site a ditch c.6m wide and c.1.3m deep was seen in section. Overlain by C19th material. Ditch fills contained C13th-C14th pottery. Ditch could be followed for a distance of 7m running NW. Due to C19th terracing further traces of the ditch disappeared. Ditch ran parallel to Lower Mounts at a distance of 55m to its NE. Ditch may represent the line of a short-lived outer defence around the town's East Gate. The only other feature discovered was a pit (or pits) c.10m to the SW of the ditch. No dating evidence from the pits.

{4}A watching brief during ground works revealed a ditch 6m wide and 1.3m deep which ran parallel with the town's medieval defences and 55m to the NE. Contained 13th-14th century pottery and may represent a short-lived outer defence around the east gate.

{5}Medieval ditch and undated pits found during watching brief carried out at St Michael's carpark.,

<1> SHAW M., 1988, SUPPLEMENTARY FILE, (unchecked) (Note). SNN51883.

<2> Welsh T.C., 2000-01, Documentary Sources for The Course of The Medieval Town Wall, Northampton, (checked) (Article). SNN103958.

<3> SHAW M., 1989, CBA GROUP 9 NEWSLETTER, 31 (Note). SNN3392.

<4> Gaimster D.R.M.; Margeson S.; Barry T.;, 1989, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1988, p.204 (checked) (Note). SNN653.

<5> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, P122 (Article). SNN104441.

Record last edited

Aug 9 2017 2:02PM