Monument record 1160/23/1 - St. Mary Magdalene's Churchyard

Simple east to west oriented burials were uncovered near the junction of Horseshoe Street and Marefair during roadworks in 1974 and on the west side of Horseshoe Street in 1975 are probably from the cemetery of St Mary Magdalene

{1}Excavations in 1974 revealed a series of simple orientated burials; charnel pit formed out of sunken area of previous stone building; earlier features on site dated to C10-12th; probably part of graveyard of adjoining Chapel of St Mary Magdalene; southern extent of cemetery probably at northing SP6063 [read:SP6036];

{2}Burials were found during road widening construction beneath pavement on Horseshoe Street; may have been laid out & articulated; possibly part of graveyard of Chapel of St Mary Magdalene;

{3} In 1974, close to the junction of Marefair & Horseshoe Street; beneath C19/20th buildings were series of simple burials orientated east-west; at south end of site was robbed stone building sunken area of which had been used as charnel pit subsequent to robbing; no attempt to arrange disarticulated skeletons; cemetery probably in use when building constructed but original purpose unclear; few pits of probably C12th date predate cemetery & building; cemetery previously unknown; considers that it belongs to St Gregory's Church & not St Mary Magdalene;

{4} Medieval cemetery, earlier pits and building excavated on Horseshoe Street, below warehouse (site is north of Kettering tyres yard). Site excavated Summer/Autumn 1974

{5}Burials reported by site agent during road widening on Horseshoe Street; beneath pavement; possibly laid out & articulated; part of graveyard of Chapel of St Mary Magdalene;

{6}Roadworks on west side of Horseshoe Street exposed graves; interprets as part of St Gregory's but later interpreted (RCHME) as St Mary Magdalene.
The roadworks also exposed an east-west running ironstone wall thought to define southern limit of churchyard of St Gregory; later interpreted (RCHME) as St Mary Magdalene. At the north end of the street more human remains were found abutting south side of further east-west running ironstone wall possibly marking north edge of churchyard. Further work revealed one end of stone-built charnel house within churchyard.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.336-7 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M136 (Index). SNN133.

<2> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M145 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p.168-69 (checked) (Report). SNN41605.

<4> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M123 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<5> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M145 (checked) (Index). SNN133.

<6> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1976, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1975, p.198 (checked) (Journal). SNN169.

<7> 1975, Kettering Tyres, Horseshoe street (Archive). SNN116342.

Record last edited

Feb 12 2025 2:53PM