Monument record 1160/225/8 - Late Saxon settlement (Phase 3), St Peter's Gardens

Excavation between 1980-82. In the late Saxon period the site had lost the high status of the preceding phases. Apart from the robber trench of the stone hall the features comprise possibly two sunken-featured buildings, a slot, postholes, stakeholes, pits and layers.

{1} Excavation between 1980 and 1982 (Phase 3-late Saxon period c875-1100). The stone hall, including its extension, seems to have fallen down or been demolished and the greater part of its foundations systematically robbed during this period.

Other features dating to this period included two slots which may represent east & north walls of building; both cut to similar depth & possibly to take sill beam. Greater part of sunken-featured building lay within area of earlier stone hall; appeared to respect north wall of hall; cut 2.6m long with single posthole at each end & surviving depth of 0.35m; small amount of pottery from fill suggests early C10th date possibly just before robbing of foundations to north; may thus have been constructed within ruins of hall. A second possible sunken-featured building with traces of posthole at north end; possibly C10/11th.

Few of postholes could be assigned definite date; analogy with adjacent sites points to late Saxon however; two lines of postholes defineable as possible east & west walls of building; further structures may be present.

Large number of pits of late Saxon date; one very large pit over 2m deep but function unclear; remaining pits appear to have been for disposal of rubbish & cess; group of postholes around three sides of one pit presumably represents some sort of structural arrangment; majority of Saxon crucibles from site came from one of pits of this period; made of same Northampton ware fabric as pottery. Metalled areas probably representing yard surfaces; covered with occupation debris.

Ironworking slag & furnace lining or bottom recovered from all periods on site but mainly late Saxon; no actual furnaces or other metalworking structures identified.
Site produced 104 pieces of worked bone & antler; mainly late Saxon in date; objects included fragment of double-sided simple ivory comb & comb connecting plate fragments; also pointed tools & possible decorated handle & gaming piece; also one antler & one bone billet & partly finished bone skate; 74 fragments of antler waste recovered mostly from stratified contexts; these are mainly late Saxon & in later contexts are considered to be residual; two concentrations of waste at west end of site identified.

{2}Traces of substantial timber building possibly 6 x 8m uncovered;

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton, p. 26, 27, 75 (checked) (Report). SNN420.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 1, p. 26, 27, 75(checked) (Microfiche). SNN106748.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 2, p. 26, 27, 75 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106749.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 3, p. 26, 27, 75 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106750.

<1> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Denham V., 1985, Middle Saxon Palaces at Northampton: Microfiche 4, p. 26, 27, 75 (checked) (Microfiche). SNN106751.

<2> Young S.M.; Clark J.; Barry T., 1982, Medieval Archaeology (26), 199 (Journal). SNN3639.

Record last edited

Oct 27 2023 9:29AM