Monument record 1301/0/29 - Late Saxon boundaries and farm (AD 900/950-1200), Langham Road

Part of the wider Langham Road excavation. The late Saxon period saw the creation of a complex system of ditched land boundaries, which included a major north-south boundary marking the division between domestic plots to the east and open fields to the west. A building complex may have been a relocation of the earlier middle Saxon farm (HER No 1301/0/47) and may have been set within a one acre plot fronting onto Rotton Row. Summary from record 1301/0/8: A major north-south boundary marking the division between the domestic plots to the east and the open fields to the west Summary from record 1301/0/57: A group of 22 broad, but shallow pits cut into the clay. Possibly clay extraction pits in use up to c AD1200 Summary from record 1301/0/58: In the late Saxon period two there were two timber buildings, only minor structures

{1} Excavation in 1986 on Langham Road. A network of late Saxon ditches was found which formed enclosures on north-south, east-west orientation.

{3} Excavation at Langham Road. In the late Saxon period, a major north-south boundary marked the division between the domestic plots to the east and the open fields to the west. It was traced for a distance of 75m, flanking the plot containing the late Saxon farm and adjoining plots to the north and south. Further north, the line of this ditch lay largely beyond the excavated areas, but an equivalent north-south ditch on the northernmost part of the site, adjacent to the Furnells manor, was offset some 4m to the east. This dislocation strengthens the argument that Langham Road and Furnells plot systems were related but separate creations.

The late Saxon farm comprising a group of at least three timber halls, two of which had their walls founded in continuous timber slots. A rectangular building of post-in-slot construction measured 9.5m long by 4.5m wide. Central breaks in the eastern and western trenches formed opposed doorways and a further doorway may have been provided at the northern end of the western wall. There is evidence the hall stood on the eastern side of a timber-walled enclosure 23m long by 17m wide. Southern end of a second hall was 4.3m wide and a third hall, on a slightly different alignment, appeared to have been post-built and comprising at least two two rooms of separate structural build.

A further timber hall lay 15m to the east of the main group of buildings may have had a central hearth.

To the north there were two minor post-built buildings, probably only peasant houses near the bottom level of society. They were located on a possible trackway. One was 13.5m long and 2.0m wide the other was 5.0m long by 3.2m wide with perhaps a lean-to at the rear.

<1> AUDOUY M., 1988, Langham Road?, (unchecked) (Interim Note). SNN43266.

<2> AUDOUY M., 1988, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN50308.

<3> Audouy M.; Chapman A., 2009, Raunds, The Origin and Growth of A Midland Village, AD 450-1500 (Excavations in North Raunds 1997-87), p111-118 (Report). SNN106414.

Record last edited

Dec 2 2021 9:11AM