Monument record 1160/3/6 - Possible defensive ditch, Upper Mounts

A wide ditch may be part of the medieval or Civil War defences of Northampton

{6}A deep, wide ditch may relate to the medieval or Civil war defences of Northampton. It may have been short-lived and ironstone structures were built over it in the late 16th-17th centuries.,

{7}Ditch 6m wide x2.5m deep running north-west to south-east across trench; section of ditch 2m wide was excavated revealing bottom layer of silty clay followed by homogeneous clay layers suggesting rapid infill; shallow channel dug into top of these layers indicates that line of ditch persisted as minor boundary; pottery indicates that ditch backfilled no earlier than C12th; later features provide terminus ante quem of C17th; life of ditch likely to have been short; 3 alternative interpretations offered;1) predates medieval defensive line perhaps forming part of late C11th/early C12th defence;2) represents part of medieval defensive line;3) forms part of Civil War defences;,

{1}Wide ditch revealed in both trenches; dated C17th or earlier; survived to width of 6m & depth of 2.5m; layer of silty clay at base; above was series of homogenous clay layers suggesting rapid infill; cut into these was shallow channel which may indicate ditch line persisted as minor boundary; pottery content & later features indicate date of C12th-C17th; ditch runs on anticipated line of medieval & Civil War defences; short life-span might indicate that it was not substantial part of medieval defences however; could be earlier defensive line perhaps dating to original expansion of town into this area in late C11th-12th; alternatively may be later Civil War defensive line;

<1> Soden, I and Holmes, M, 1995, AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION ADJACENT TO CAMPBELL SQUARE, UNSPECIFIED, (unchecked) (Report). SNN1089.

<2> Chapman A, 1996-7, Northampton, Campbell Square, (unchecked) (Note). SNN104089.

<3> Welsh T.C., 2000-01, Documentary Sources for The Course of The Medieval Town Wall, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN103958.

<6> SODEN I, 1996, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN49317.

<7> Shaw, M, 1996, Archaeological excavation of land adjacent to Campbell Square, Northampton, 1995-6, 7+11 + FIGS.8+9 (Report). SNN40894.

Record last edited

Jun 25 2018 11:33AM