Monument record 1160/289/1 - Medieval quarry and medieval/post-medieval buildings and road surfaces, Bath Street

A trench was excavated partly across and to the north of Bath Street in 1975. A substantial rock-cut quarry containing 12th-century pottery was overlain by stone buildings with clay floors of Tudor date (late 15th-16th century). There was a series of metalled surfaces beneath the modern road. The earliest sealed pottery no earlier than the 13th century.

{1} A 1.8m wide trench was excavated across Bath Street and land immediately to the north in an attempt to find the Saxon defences as postulated by Alderman Frank Lee. The defences were not located. However, a substantial rock cut quarry containing pottery dating to the 12th century was sealed by stone founded buildings with clay floors dated pottery to the Tudor period. A series of metalled surfaces was identified beneath the road; the earliest sealing pottery probably no earlier than the 13th century. Bedrock was observed at 1.6m beneath the road, but further north it was not located. Further archaeological work is needed therefore to verify Lee's theory.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1976, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1975, p.199 (checked) (Journal). SNN169.

<2> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M124 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.327 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 3:25PM