Monument record 1160/0/24 - Two Saxon mortar mixers, St Peter's Gardens

Two mortar mixers were found to the north-west of the 9th-century stone hall and were likely used in its construction.

{2}To west of stone hall were remains of two mortar mixers possibly associated with construction of stone building; circular bowls 2-3m diameter cut unto natural or raised by low banks; lined with basket work; lime & sand mixed in bowls by paddles suspended from horizontal rotating beam; C14 dates suggest mortar mixers being used in early C8th;,

{1}Mixer cut down 0.2m into ground surface; 2.4m diameter; central post-pipe 0.35m diameter set in posthole 0.6m across; two phases of mixing identified; paddle marks left in mortar; traces of probable wattlework visible round edge of bowl; lime-rich sandy deposit beneath mortars appeared to represent un-mixed constituents;

{3} 2 mortar mixers lay to north of stone structures & are likely to have been used in their construction;,Mixer of at least two periods of use; appears to have been constructed at ground level rather than in pit; sides of bowl formed with low earth bank lined with wattlework on inner face; spillage over bank noted; in early use mixer was 2.5m diameter & defined by stakeholes marking line of wattlework;reduced in size to 2.2m in later use; residues of two possible mixes overlay paddle marks;,To west of stone hall were remains of two mortar mixers possibly associated with construction of stone building; circular bowls 2-3m diameter cut unto natural or raised by low banks; lined with basket work; lime & sand mixed in bowls by paddles suspended from horizontal rotating beam; C14 dates suggest mortar mixers being used in early C8th;

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton, p.21-26 (checked) (Report). SNN420.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 1, p.21-26 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106748.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 2, p.21-26 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106749.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 3, p.21-26 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106750.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 4, p.21-26 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106751.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.331-2 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> Young S.M.; Clark J.; Barry T., 1982, Medieval Archaeology (26), 26/199 (checked) (Journal). SNN3639.

Record last edited

Oct 27 2023 8:39AM