Monument record 1160/395/11 - Late Saxon buildings and industrial feature

Two sunken-featured buildings and a later industrial feature possibly used for lime burning/malting or grain drying. The backfill of the feature included smithing and tap slag suggesting localised metalworking.

{3} The first phase of activity saw the construction of two closely related sunken-featured buildings, probably early in the 10th century. The larger of the two structures comprised a straight-sided, rectangular cut surviving to a depth of 0.7m. At the base of the feature was a layer of fine sand into which a number of postholes had been inserted around the edge of the cut. The building was latered at least once, with two new posts inserted on the north and south sides and the floor level being raised with a layer of ironstone 0.6m thick.
Adjacent was a smaller structure with rounded corners and a shallow step at its north end. It may not have been a separate building but may have been an entry to the larger building. The backfilling of Building 4 contained mainly St Neots-type ware, with a smaller quantity of Northampton ware and hand-made Saxon pottery.
The two buildings went out use and were backfilled at sometime in the 10th century and several pits were dug in the vicinity. Later a large cut was excavated on the eastern side of where the large building had been located. This new feature seems to have had an industrial purpose, probably an oven, kiln or furnace. It measured 4.1m north-south by 4.0m east-west and was 1.4m deep. A possible flue ran horizontally out of the eastern side of the structure. A small deposit of lime-mortar type material may indicate that the feature was used for lime burning. The base and sides showed uniform evidence of heavy scorching and the base was covered with ash and charcoal. However, charcoal deposits contained a large number of charred cereal grains, possibly indicating that it was used for malting or grain drying. The feature was in use at the same time as the adjacent cemetery pointing to a rather ambivalent attitude towards the marking of graves. It seems to have gone out use in the mid-late 12th century.
The backfilling of the pit contained stone with a vitrified surface not dissimilar to blast furnace slags. Further deposits included charcoal, metalworking debris (smelting and smithing slag, including tap slag and a ceramic mould fragment) indicating further industrial processes were being undertaken in the vicinity.

<1> Soden I., 1998, Archaeological Evaluation at Barclaycard, Marefair, Northampton - Stage 2: Trial Excavation, (unchecked) (Report). SNN39581.

<2> Chapman A, 1998-9, Northampton, Marefair, (unchecked) (Note). SNN104058.

<3> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 2005, Saxon, medieval and post-medieval settlement at Sol Central, Marefair, Northampton, p.9-12 (Full Report). SNN105717.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2016 2:19PM