Monument record 638/0/66 - Late Saxon and medieval settlement remains, St John's Square

Excavation prior to development identified settlement in the late Saxon period comprising a ditched enclosure around at least one timber building. Nearby were north-south ditches which may represent a fluid boundary. The area was replanned in the 12th century with occupation shifting to the foot of the natural slope, the north edge of the site, where a 3-bay building was constructed. By the mid-13th century this had been abandoned and the emphasis shifted to a new enclosure on higher ground to the south-west, where occupation persisted, initially in the form of a ditched circular building of unknown function, but possibly a dovecote, post mill or horse mill

{2}Excavation of an area of 0.2ha prior to development in 1994-5. Late Saxon settlement comprisied a series of ditches of late Saxon date. Ditches to the western part of the site were straight with signs of only one recut at most, all steep sided, but shoulder to one side or the other.To the east of the site a series of ditches of a more substantial nature - with a series of recuts. These ditches were curved and covered a swathe of 5.8m wide and perhaps represented a shifting boundary. Two ditches at the eastern extremity were on a north-south alignment and were drastically re-cut.No evidence that all the ditches were contemporary or that they served any agricultural function. Very narrow strips of land inbetween the ditches. It seems possible that they may represent a sequence of boundaries, possibly being moved in a single consecutive series across the slope over a period of 200 years.

At the eastern end of the site was an arcing ditch sequence enclosing remains of timber building. Four post-holes to the south and west of the building may mark the position of a substantial fence or palisade within at least one sub-phase of the curving ditches.The importance attached to the enclosure circuit, re-cut so many times and the possible presence of an internal palisade for at least part of its life suggest that the enclosure may have served a defensive function.

The truncated remains of the timber building comprised mainly post and stake-holes. The building was of at least 12m in length and was 3m wide, being divided into at least 3 rooms. The method of construction varied. One of the two cross-walls lay in a continuous beam-slot, rather than being founded in post-holes. Vestiges of a timber-laced clay wall at the southern wall at the eastern end - clay-filled slot which contained 4 equidistant stake-holes. No floors survived. No indication as to what the building may have been used for.Two poorly preserved gullies lay in close proximity to the building.Layers of dumped material may also be related to the structure.Building dated to the period c900-975 (based on analysis of pottery), structure had gone by 1087.


During the 12th century occupation shifted downslope to the northern half of the site. Erection of a rectangular building commenced with the digging of a large oval hollow filled with ironstone rubble from which came a coin of 1087. Five small post-holes within its fill may indicate a shelter or other flimsy covering. A substantial structure was then constructed- partially stone and partially timber.North wall removed by later ditch, but would originally have measured 14.6m long and 4.6m wide. Internal dimensions were 13.2m east-west x 2.5m north-south. The internal floor space would therefore by 33 square metres. Three room plan with rows of post-holes forming divisions between the rooms. There was no evidence for a hearth other than scattered areas of scorching of the natural. A deposit of loam containing pottery, animal bone and other finds had accumulated on top of the natural ground surface within all three rooms - this was interpreted as an earthern floor.Evidence for construction of the building lay in the five fragments of insubstantial ironstone walls (on three sides of the building) and a series of large post-holes (some within slots / sill beams). Some structural re-building may have been neccesary at the east end of the building. A dump of material was put down to level the subsidence and the wall was shown to be entirely of stone with no timber uprights.The building was constructed after 1087, but was destroyed no earlier than c1150. Its layout and size would appear to suggest a rural peasant house. The three distinct bays foreshadow the formal isation of this layout in the 14th century and although irregular are to the 4.6m x 4.6m bay size recorded in many later standing buildings. The presense of window glass is unexpected in a lowly house of the period.Whilst standing the building may have served a boundary function.
A north-south aligned wall foundation (6.5m long) of flat ironstone blocks lay south of the building. Robbed out in late 13th century.The wall foundation may be refered to in a document of 1289-1326. In it part of a plot in Le Netherende was granted to the Priory for the upkeep of a wall there, the dimensions were 21ft long by 6ft high. The stated length matches that of the excavated wall exactly. The same wall was potentially mentioned in c1290 when its purpose and position were qualified as stopping up a droveway on the east side of John Coc's tenement.

In the 13th and 14th centuries occupation shifted further south-west, where a rectilinear enclosure in excess of 20m x 20m was constructed, it was straight-sided and had an entrance at the north-east corner where the terminals of its enclosure ditch were located along with a single post hole which may mark the position of a gate. The ditch was recut twice - the first recut dispensed with the entrance and the second recut occured after a number of changes to the internal structures.

Within it was a circular building with a diameter of 4.5m, the function of which remains unclear.Building indicated by 1.4m of rammed clay and ironstone chippings, aligned north-south. Partially reordered by the insertion of two parallel 1m long timbers into deep slots aligned east-west into the natural clay. Penannular concentric gully around the structure. Various pits appear to represent the robbing of materials from the structure.Suggestions for the function of the building have included dovecote, horse mill or post-mill.,

<1> SODEN I, 1996, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter, 31-33 (Note). SNN40075.

<2> Soden I., 1997, Saxon & Medieval Settlement Remains at St John's Square, Daventry, Northamptonshire 1994-5, (unchecked) (Report). SNN43504.

<3> Soden I, 1996-7, Saxon and Medieval Settlement Remains at St John's Square, Daventry, Northamptonshire July 1994-February 1995, (checked) (Article). SNN104070.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2020 10:43AM