Monument record 1160/1/3 - Outer Bailey, Northampton Castle

The outer bailey of Northampton was probably created between 1100-1150, perhaps in the 1120s. Much of the bailey bank was removed by the construction of the Victorian train station. Archaeological investigation undertaken during the construction of the new station in 2013 found a fragmentary length of stone wall, probably a remnant of a wall along the western side of an opening through the bank, part of a postern gate that opened directly onto the eastern end of West Bridge.

{1} In 1248 king ordered repair of palisade around outer bailey & in 1251 sheriff authorised to repair castle & bailey wall adjacent to River Nene; in 1266 king ordered repair of wall on west side of castle & palisade outside castle on same side to be replaced by stone wall; post medieval plans indicate that inner & outer baileys contained about 3.5 acres each; two sections cut across outer bailey ditch between 1975-8 suggested it was approximately 14m wide x 5.5m deep.

{2} Shows inner & outer bailey enclosed by stone walls.

{3} Shows bailey walls.

{4} Outer ballium extended on south side to walls facing Black Lion Hill; at this point construction of wall foundations can be observed including six small pointed arches; more of original wall survives on west side of outer bailey than anywhere else.

{5} Broad ballium or area for garrison extended for some distance & was guarded by outer vallum with barbican etc.

{6} In 1248 palisade around great outer bailey ordered to be repaired.

{7} In 1251 sheriff ordered to repair wall of castle & bailey on side towards river.

{8} Abroad ballium or area for garrison extended some distance & was guarded by outer vallum.

{9} Recording of outer wall of castle [outer bailey]; reference to drawing "Remains of Northampton Castle from WSW" Dryden with camera [copied by CH in 1869].

{10} Wall of outer bailey demolished within last three months to straighten approach road to station.

{11} Remaining outer wall being removed for new bridge over river & branch line to Market Harborough.

{12} In 1248 king ordered that palisade round great outer bailey be repaired.

{13} Road widening on Black Lion Hill exposed section cut through man-made bank showing various dumps & one pit; [does not date finds but located in south-east corner of outer bailey area].

{14} Two sections cut across outer bailey ditch suggest it was 14m wide x 5.5m deep; C17/18th pottery recovered from upper layers of fill but lower ones contained nothing later then C16th indicating that it had probably silted up by post medieval period; 22 fragments of medieval roof tile & 1 fragment of floor tile were recovered from outer bailey ditch.

{15} On south lay smaller outer bailey; after Henry III had easily recaptured castle in 1264 he ordered castle made more secure including replacing palisade around outer bailey with stone wall; no evidence for presence of buildings in outer bailey.

{16} Four fifths of the enclosed keep and part of the outer bailey were removed in 1879 to expand the station site: this involved removing the castle mound down to flood plain level leaving a high wall supporting St Andrew’s Road. Parts of the outer bailey on the south survived in a reduced state under a school and a house in the 19th century, but more of this was removed in laying out station car parks post 1950s. The southern edge of the bailey was removed when the new was built in the 1860s, and vaulting was exposed which is behind the modern stone wall on the perimeter.

{19} Excavation indicates that the outer bailey was created after 1100AD but well before before 1150AD perhaps around 1120AD. The inner part of the outer bailey bank lay in the south-western corner of the excavated area and the foundations of a mortared ironstone revetment wall along the outer face of the bank was seen in the watching brief. The inner edge of the Outer Bailey bank was effectively defined by the deeply founded western wall of the building abutting the bank, and there was no general revetment of the inner face. A possible postern gate and gatehouse were identified during the watching brief in the south-west corner of the site.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.333 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN559.

<3> Tillemans P., 1719, Prospect of Northampton Castle, (checked) (Drawing). SNN4058.

<4> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.30 (checked) (Book). SNN1032.

<5> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.123; Copy in NDC SMR File M202; (checked) (Book). SNN1002.

<6> Calendar of Liberate Rolls, 1248/168 (unchecked) (Document). SNN3497.

<7> Calendar of Close Rolls (undated), 1247-51/510 (unchecked) (Document). SNN2187.

<8> Evans J.; Britton J., 1810, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN1351.

<9> Dryden H., 1854, Survey, NAS 56/28 (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN3999.

<10> 1859, Opening of The Northampton & Market Harborough Railway, (unchecked) (Article). SNN4001.

<11> 1859, The Illustrated London News, (unchecked) (Article). SNN4003.

<12> Brown R.A.; Colvin H.M.; Taylor, 1963, The History of The Kings' Works (Vol.II), p.750-53 (checked) (Series). SNN3801.

<13> Williams J.H., 1973, The Castle, p.29 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN3842.

<14> Williams J.H., 1981, Excavations in Chalk Lane, Northampton, p.106-07 (checked) (Article). SNN2964.

<15> Chapman A., Northampton Castle: A Review of The Evidence, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN2966.

<16> Welsh T., 2009-2011, Northampton Castle, (checked) (Note). SNN107344.

<17> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, p. 21 (Journal). SNN8956.

<18> Chapman A, 2016, Excavation at Northampton Station 2013-2015, within the outer bailey of Northampton Castle: Assessment Report (Report). SNN111850.

<19> Chapman, A, 2018, Excavation and watching brief within the Outer Bailey of Northampton Castle 2013-2015 (Report). SNN112762.

<20> Chapman, A, 2021, Late Saxon and Saxo-Norman occupation beneath the Outer Bailey of Northampton Castle, p. 79-127 (Article). SNN112912.

<21> Chapman, A, 2021, Excavation within the Outer Bailey of Northampton Castle, 2013-15, p. 191-255 (Article). SNN112915.

<22> Soden, I, 2016, Archaeological considerations on the development of the Inner and Outer Baileys of Northampton Castle: The remaining scope for archaeological survival and appropriate mitigation (Report). SNN116646.

Record last edited

Nov 5 2024 4:27PM