Monument record 1221/5/1 - Medieval Pottery Kiln, Kerry Farm

Trial trench excavation identified the robbed-out remains of a late medieval pottery kiln as well as evidence of possible medieval buildings and a property boundary.

{2} Three trial trenches were initially excavated. In Trenches 1 and 2 were a number of stone-packed gullies that dated to the medieval period and that may be the remains of timber-framed buildings. The robbed remains of a pottery-kiln were recovered in trench 3. The kiln consisted of a roughly circular chamber 2.2m across with a narrow flue running off to the north. Very little remained of the kiln itself; irregular limestone packed into a clay matrix with traces of fired clay around. It is possible that the kiln oven was of the oval form usually found in Yardley Gobion. A large number of pottery wasters (of C14th to C15th date) were found within the fill. It is also possible that a successor to the pottery kiln may lie in the near vicinity, as this would explain why the existing kiln was so throughly dismantled.

Subsequently the footprint of the new house was excavated (Trenches 5 and 6) and watching briefs were carried out in other areas of ground disturbance (Trenches 7-10).

In Trench 5 was a narrow ditch set parallel to and c.5metres north of the present road frontage. This feature is propably an early property boundary and suggests that Moorend Road has either been narrowed or shifted a little south in modern times. The few finds of pottery sherd suggest a 14th or 15th century date for the filling of the ditch.

{3} Trial trench excavation in 2001 identified a possible medieval/post-medieval ditch. The ditch (feature 15) is similar in shape, size and alignment to the ditch found in 1998. This was interpreted as a medieval boundary , possibly a street frontage. It could indicate a shift in alignment of Moorend Road. However, the find of a sherd of 17th century pottery in the fill suggests that the ditch may have remained in use much later than was previously thought. However, it is thought that the sherd was intrusive and was in the ditch because of tree root action.
A stone-packed gully was also found. It was similar to other stone packed gullies in the vicinity. The layer of flat stones which survived on the rubble packing of the gully suggests that these features were the footings for stone walls, or perhaps timber framed buldings.
A large pit was revealed to be the burial of a pig which having been cut into the topsoil would appear to quite a recent date. In addition to the almost complete remains of a pig there wrere also the fragmentary remains of two piglets.

Flitcroft, M, 2002, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 2002, p. 151 (Article). SNN113204.

<1> Ivens R.J., 1997, An Archaeological Study of Kerry Farm, Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire: Part 3, p.4-6(unchecked) (Report). SNN46549.

<2> Ivens R.J., 1998, An Archaeological Study of Kerry Farm, Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire: Final Report, p.6 (unchecked) (Report). SNN106539.

<3> Ivens R.J., 2001, Further Trial Trenching At Kerry Farm, Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101430.

Record last edited

Apr 6 2022 1:00PM