Monument record 2871/1/2 - Churchyard, St Leonard's Hospital

Some time in the late 19th century skeletons were dug up in the area and further remains were discovered in excavations for a new LMS railway workshop in 1946. Further skeletal remains were found during the construction of the supermarket in 1985. These were presumably from the hospital graveyard.

{1}St Leonard's Hospital had chapel & graveyard which acquired semi-parochial rights for inhabitants of adjacent hamlet of East Cotton; some time in late C19th skeletons were dug up in area & further remains discovered in excavations for new LMS railway workshop in 1946; these were presumably from the hospital graveyard; SP75465973;

{2}Finds made in the late 19th century; skeletons;

{3}Skeletons & bones found in excavations for new railway workshop near Bridge Street level crossing; found at depth of about 6 feet;

{4}Included chapel & churchyard serving local people as parish church;

{5}Buildings included chapel & churchyard which served inhabitants of Cotton End as parish church;

{6}Accounts of legacies include burials within churchyard in 1500 & 1528;

{7}Buildings included chapel & churchyard which served inhabitants of Cotton End;

{8}Award of 1550 between mayor & burgesses & Francis Samwell who claimed ownership whereby chapel & churchyard to be used by town upon payment to Samwell;

{9}Six inhumations discovered during trenching along north edge of CO-OP site in Ransome Road; extended about 40m back from London Road; burials first reported by workmen; one burial in section at 6ft down; part of burial ground of Leper Hospital of St Leonard at Cotton End; trench not closely examined nor measurements taken;

{10}St Leonard's cemetery still in use in C16th; in 1500 Joyce Jacob left her body to be buried in cemetery of St Leonard's in Coton; in 1528 William Swynshed also left his body to be buried there; valuation of cemetery of St Leonard bears date Feb 1st 3rd of Edward VI reign; cemetery valued at 2s.4d. A year & was sold at ten years' purchase; in 1550 chapel of St Leonard with churchyard was purchased by Corporation of Northampton by Francis Samwell;

{11}In excavating in 'drying ground' at back of laundry in Cotton End for new drainage system two stone coffins found 2 feet beneath ground surface which contained bones of two bodies; coffins wide at head & tapered at foot; on top of coffin carved cross running length of stone lid; during works coffins were moved 2 feet aside but not removed; other bones found during course of the excavation; no further coffins found; burial ground associated with possible abbey or chapel; date of remains uncertain;

{12}Human bones found 1946; no further details;

{13}Human bones from Bridge Street near level crossing; no further details given;

{16}Human skeletal remains were discovered in June 1985 during construction of the Co-op Supermarket on corner of London Road and Ransome Road. Human bones had previously been found in this area in 19th century and 1946. All are presumably from graveyard of St Leaonard's Hospital.

{17} With regard to the skeletal remains found in 1946 'Mr Reginald Brown Borough Librarian says the site was occupied by St Leonard’s leper hospital at the end of the 11th century and during the early part of the 12th and a burial ground remained open until 1586'.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.292 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> 1946, CHRONICLE & ECHO, 17/10/1946 (Journal). SNN20154.

<3> 1946, The Chronicle and Echo, (unchecked) (Article). SNN2654.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP75NE20 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.60 (checked) (Series). SNN100370.

<6> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.233 (checked); Copy in NDC SMR File M31; (Extract). SNN1080.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP76SE60 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<8> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.159-61 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<9> FOARD G.R., 1985, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Report). SNN49658.

<10> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1915, The Leper Hospitals of Northampton, 20+22+31-2 (Article). SNN832.

<11> 1895, The Mercury and Herald, (unchecked) (Article). SNN3529.

<12> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M54 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<13> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M54 (checked) (Index). SNN133.

<14> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M277 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<15> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M402 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<16> Dix B.(ed), 1986-7, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1985-6, p.158 Northampton, Cotton End (Report). SNN100334.

<17> 1946, Northampton Mercury, Friday 25 October 1946, p 8 (Newspaper cuttings). SNN112478.

Record last edited

May 12 2021 9:23AM