Monument record 1160/1/37 - Buildings in the north-eastern part of inner bailey, Northampton Castle

Archaeological excavations undertaken by Alexander between 1961 and 1964 uncovered 550 square metres of stone buildings within the north-eastern part of the inner bailey. The bailey bank had been revetted on both sides of its north-eastern angle to make room for the buildings. One of the buildings was of particularly fine construction, part of the domestic ranges of the castle, likely to have been the great hall. A garderobe, which probably served several floors, and undercroft were excavated. A northern range was probably the kitchen block. After the destruction of the domestic range of the castle by fire in the early 14th century, the area remained undeveloped with little evidence of activity except for stone robbing and a casual burial.

{1} Excavations on the west side of Chalk Lane were undertaken intermittently by Alexander between 1961 and 1964. In 1961, there were several phases of buildings located within the castle defences including a large stone building which replaced an earlier wooden one in the C13th. It was aligned with the bailey bank and the wall of the building was traced for 42ft without finding corner. Well-mortared wall built of re-used ashlar from C11/12th sited on projecting footings; survived to height of 8ft; other walls & doorways & earthen floors defined rooms of building; walls plastered; one column base also found; upper floors to building suggested by fragments of circular staircase & debris of carved jambs & reveals of at least one door & window; wall-plaster & painted window glass & window bars & window lead & roof lead & stone peg tiles also recovered from structure. In the late C13th alterations to building with insertion of new mortarless walls to sub-divide rooms & blocking of some doorways; further drystone wall defined room with 8ft deep rectangular stone & clay-lined pit in one corner; substantial garderobe which probably served several floors; fill contained C14th pottery & comb & hawk's skeleton; further square-ended pit probably part of foundations of structure; pottery & coins from floor of room A indicate stone building in use C13-14th; building destroyed by fire in late C14th/early C15th.
In 1963, further excavation was undertaken. The bailey bank of the castle was revetted internally on both sides of its north-eastern angle, to make way for two large buildings [not sure how these relate to the building excavated in 1961]. That on the east side measured 80ft x 15ft and that on the north was 40ft x 20 ft. Both were built from well built of mortared ashlar blocks many of which were re-used; two undercrofts were excavated in the eastern building; one had fine garderobe & other central column base probably for vaulted roof. Four rooms were cleared in the northern building- these were also undercrofts and the size and fineness of the building suggests it may have been the great hall. In middle C13th, the northern building was levelled and the eastern building enlarged & beautified; whole new range probably with wide verandah added to its north side; undercrofts were re-modelled & staircase & fireplace added & garderobe filled in; new garderobe sunk into bailey bank which was reached via covered passage; on upper floors of building elaborately carved windows inserted & filled with fine painted glass; may have been suite built for Queen Eleanor of Provence; building destroyed by fire in early C14th & stone roof & upper walls & windows crashed into undercroft with much lead & charred beams.

[6} In the NE corner of the bailey were two large buildings set against the inner face of the rampart. The northern range contained a succession of hearths and ovens and was presumably a kitchen block. East of this and at right angles to it was a domestic suite with undercroft. Both were probably constructed during the later 12th century and underwent more than one subsequent alteration. The eastern range in particular appears to have been extensively and elaborately remodelled in the 13th century. It appears to have been destroyed by fire, perhaps in the 14th century and the northern building may also have gone out use in this period.

{7} A watching brief was carried out in January and February 1971 when the lowering of the St. Andrews Road wall and the battering back of the area behind it was being carried out. Nothing of archaeological interest was noticed except when work proceeded along that part of the wall which ran through the Inner Bailey of the Castle and along this stretch eleven walls, two patches of burning ,a wall and a mortar layer were recorded. Most of the walls could be linked with walls found by Dr Alexander's excavations of 1961 64.

{9} Ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey identified at least one of the walls identified by Alexander, but much of his former excavation area had muddled responses, probably due to the backfill after the end of the excavations.

<1> Alexander J., 1961-1964, Northampton Castle excavations 1961-1964 (Unpublished Report). SNN3868.

<2> 1963, Medieval Britain in 1962, p.322-23 (checked) (Notes). SNN3807.

<3> 1964, Medieval Britain in 1963, p.257 (checked) (Notes). SNN3816.

<4> Wilson D.M.; Gillian Hurst D., 1965, Medieval Britain in 1964, p.191 (checked) (Notes). SNN3819.

<5> Chapman A., Northampton Castle: A Review of The Evidence, p. 44 (Unpublished Report). SNN2966.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.335 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<7> Mynard, D.C., 1972, Northampton Castle, 44-5 (Report). SNN3841.

<8> Chapman, A, 2021, Northampton Castle Part 1: Introduction, pre-castle archaeology, and the history and topography of the castle (Article). SNN112914.

<9> Walford, J and Chapman, A, 2017, Archaeological geophysical survey on the site of Northampton Castle, St Andrew’s Road, Northampton, May 2017 (Report). SNN112320.

Record last edited

Apr 1 2025 4:02PM