Monument record 2707/2/3 - Late Saxon timber hall, Prebendal Manor

Excavations within the 13th century stone hall revealed a late Saxon timber hall. It was one of King Cnut's royal manors. He visited Nassington some time after 1017.

{2}The Late Saxon timber hall was one of King Cnut's royal manors. He visited Nassington some time after 1017. The manor remained in ownership of the crown until 1123 when Henry I gave the manor to the bishop of Lincoln for the endowment of a prebend.

{1} Excavations within the 13th century stone hall revealed a late Saxon timber hall; postholes indicate single aisled hall and central hearth; finds include slag.

{3} Excavated more of the timber hall, for the first time it is possible to reconstruct almost the entire ground plan of the hall. The evaluation revealed evidence to suggest that the hall, originally though to be of sill beam construction within which was a line of substantial aisle posts, may have had at least three phases of construction. The evaluation has suggested that the line of aisle posts preceded the construction of the foundation trench for the timber hall.

{4} It was not possible to determine the true dimensions of the aisled timber hall. Later quarrying had truncated the northern end and the southern end continued under the present cross-passage and was inaccessible to excavation. In the early 13 th century the timber building was replaced by a stone building, although modified and renovated, the present manor house is essentially a Medieval building.

Evidence of the industrial use of the site in the late Saxon period can be seen in the large amounts of iron smelting and smithing slag that have been recovered.

<1> Foster, P. Johnston, G. & Baile, J., 1988, The Prebendal Manor House: Excavations 1985-8, (unchecked) (Report). SNN1944.

<2> Baile, J., 1996, Proposed Extension to the Lodging Building, Prebendal Manor House, Nassington, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN106453.

<3> Harding P., 2003, The Prebendal Manor House, Nassington, Northamptonshire: Archaeological field evaluation and post-excavation assessment, P. 19 (checked) (Report). SNN103417.

<4> Foster PJ, Johnston AJ & Baile JMG, 1991, Excavations at the Prebendal Manor House, Nassington, Peterborough, p94 (checked) (Article). SNN104525.

<5> Adcock, J and Saunders, M, 2003, Geophysical Report Survey: Nassington, Northamptonshire, (Checked) (Report). SNN103418.

<6> Dix B.(ed), 1986-7, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1985-6, p158 Nassington (Checked) (Report). SNN100334.

<7> FOSTER P.; BAILE J.; JOHNSTONE G., 1989, The Prebendal Manor House at Nassington, Northampton, (unchecked) (Journal). SNN103914.

<8> 1990, Nassington Appraisal, (unchecked) (Document). SNN74161.

<9> Blinkhorn, P and Baile, J, 2021, A medieval Rhenish 'Blaugrau' cooking-pot handle from the Prebendal Manor, Nassington, p. 430-431 (Note). SNN112934.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2022 11:37AM