Monument record 1160/7/5 - Possible earlier church, Hospital of St John

Documentary sources appear to refer to a larger building than that now surviving and the existence of a larger, earlier church has been suggested. Archaeological investigation of drainage works identified substantial medieval walls to the north-east of the current chapel building.

{1} Possibly the same building as the chapel; large space between the master's house & other hospital buildings may have been occupied by a conventual church used by the brethren living in common in what was to become the master's house; C14th documents refer to the church being rebuilt with 4 altars implying structure far larger than any surviving;

{3} A watching brief undertaken during drainage works in 2005 identified substantial walls- one aligned east to west and another abutting to the north aligned north to south. The exterior of the building lay to the south as there was a build-up of grave earth against it, while the remanants of a plaster floor lay to the north. Burials had been placed over the foundations indicating its early date.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.342/Site 20 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.157 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<3> Soden I.; Leigh D., 2006, An Archaeological Watching Brief at St John's Hospital Chapel, Northampton, 2005 (Report). SNN105642.

Record last edited

May 23 2025 1:07PM