Monument record 1160 - Northampton

Documentary evidence of a fortified Early Medieval town at Northampton in 913 which the Danes used as a base to attack the English. The town was captured by Edward the Elder in 917 and became a major English burh. The first extant charter dates from 1189. The medieval town was largely destroyed in a fire of 1675. Rebuilding began immediately and in 1712 the town is listed and noted for its shoe manufactories. In 1801 the population was 7,000 but the arrival of the Grand Junction Canal and later the railway speeded growth and in 1831 there were 33,000 inhabitants. [Mapped area covers only the defended medieval/post medieval extent of the town and any significant suburbs of this period.]

{2} Waltheof was the Saxon Earl of Northampton, and married William The Conqueror's niece Countess Judith. He was executed for treason in 1076. Simon de Senlis I married Maud who was daughter of Waltheof and Judith. He was probably granted the earldom and town of Northampton by William Rufus in 1089. Simon died sometime between 1111-13 but the family remained important until the latter part of C12th.

{5} General summary of history of Northampton including details of St Peter's Street excavation.

{8} Review of evidence for Saxon occupation in area of later castle.

{11} Discussion of medieval parish divisions within Northampton, and discussion of associated religious establishments.

{12} T.C. Welsh speculates on development and layout of early Northampton, based on topographic evidence and the study of historic maps.

{13} Series of questions and hypothesises about the history and development of Saxon / medieval Northampton.

{14} A suggestion for an alternative location for the new Norman town of Northampton.

{16} Summary of documentary evidence for the west side of Northampton (west of Broad Lane, Horsemarket and Horseshoe Lane).

{18} Foard discusses the development of Northampton's Saxon Burh and Medieval suburbs.

{20} The subject of this investigation is a speculative interpretation of the relative positions of Saxon and early Norman Northampton, based not on historical evidence, but on patterns observed in the recent configuration of streets and the alignment of roads approaching the town.

{27} Article: "Portland and Northampton" - A fundamental question about Northampton in Saxon times.

{32} Discussion of possibility of tunnels under Northampton town centre

{38} Although Iron Age remains have been found at Northampton and farming settlement appears to have begun in around the C7th the town did not become significant until the Norman period when the castle and town walls were constructed under the stewardship of the Norman Earl Simon de Senlis. The route of the Norman walls is still preserved in the street plan of the town today. In the Middle Ages the town’s prosperity was founded on the wool trade, this shifted in the C18th to an emphasis on the leather and shoe trades.
The assize courts and county gaol were based throughout the Middle Ages at Northampton Castle on the western edge of the town. The castle was ‘slighted’ on orders of Charles II in 1662 (possibly because it was a Cromwellian stronghold through the Civil War) and subsequently was increasingly unsuitable for the legal administration of the county. The shift away from the castle into the town appears to have happened over the 100 years between 1570 and 1670 reflecting shifts in social and civic emphasis as well as the physical decline of the fabric of the castle building, although courts were still held at the castle during much of the C17th. It is known that by the 1670s work had started on a new purpose-built sessions house in the centre, but as a ‘board and timber shed’ this was probably always considered as temporary. Timber which was being stacked in the market place for a more permanent building was, along with the temporary structure, entirely destroyed by the fire that devastated almost all of the largely timber-founded town in 1675.
The move to rebuild the town after the fire was led by the Earl of Northampton. A bill was passed in only 6 weeks and the resulting Act permitted the enlarging of streets, lanes and passages, ensured the use of less flammable materials (all new buildings were to be roofed with lead, slate or tile), and allowed that properties not rebuilt within 3 years could be compulsorily bought by others who would undertake the rebuilding. Much of the pre-fire street plan was retained and the town remained a thriving commercial centre throughout this period.

{42} Northampton was an important town in Middle Ages. In the castle, which was one of the most famous Norman castles in England, the trial of Thomas Becket took place, and many councils and parliaments were held. The first extant charter dates from 1189. The mediaeval town was largely destroyed in a fire of 1675. Rebuilding began immediately and in 1712 the town is listed and noted for its shoe manufactories. In 1801 the population was 7000 but the arrival of the Grand Junction Canal
and later the railway speeded growth and in 1831 the figure of 33000 inhabitants was reached. The shoe trade is still prominent. The population c1960 was 104,000.

{44} SP7560. Burh of Northampton sited to Northampton. The settlement at Northampton is mentioned in 913, at which time it was probably fortified by the Danes. Edward the Elder captured it.

{46} Drawing of tombstone used for foundation of "Cross Keys", Sheep Street, also a rubbing, tracing and sketches from St Augustine's Priory, a sketch of a steelyard weight found in making the gasworks, notes on Becket dated January 1875, map of part of the town, drawing of tiles found when making a cellar at 78 Bridge Street;

{48} Tracings of maps of parts of Northampton;

{49} A late 8th century silver penny of Offa by the moneyer Lulla was found in Northampton in the 1980s.

{50} Various photos of buildings in Northampton, taken in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, no longer extant;

<1> Williams J.H., 1977, The Early Development of The Town of Northampton, p.131-152 (unchecked) (Article). SNN54838.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.333 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> HARTSHORNE C.H., 1848, Historical Memorials of Northampton, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN57764.

<4> Alexander J., 1973, The Beginnings of Northampton, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN54837.

<5> Williams J.H., 1981, Northampton, p.250-254 (unchecked) (Article). SNN3654.

<6> Williams J.H., 1982, Saxon and Medieval Northampton, (unchecked) (Book). SNN56479.

<7> Gryspeerdt M., Early Middle Saxon Pottery in Northampton: A Review of the Evidence, p.27-34 (unchecked) (Article). SNN56480.

<8> Chapman A., Northampton Castle: A Review of The Evidence, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN2966.

<9> WHITE A.P., 1986, The Story of Northampton, (unchecked) (Book). SNN56485.

<10> WILLIAMS J.; BAMFORD H., 1979, Northampton: The First 6000 Years, (unchecked) (Book). SNN56486.

<11> WILLIAMS J., 1982, Northampton's Medieval Parishes, p.74 (checked) (Article). SNN316.

<12> WELSH T.C., 1997, More Thoughts on Early Northampton, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN47101.

<13> WELSH T.C., 1997, Some Answers to Questions About Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN43643.

<14> WELSH T.C., 1997, A Suggestion For The Nova Burgus of Northampton, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN45653.

<15> WELSH T.C., 1997, Geographical Reconstruction: An Alternative Interpretation of Early Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN54835.

<16> Welsh T.C., 1998, Document Search: The West Side of Northampton (West of Broad Lane, Horsemarket and Horseshoe Street), (unchecked) (Document). SNN39867.

<17> WELSH T.C., 1999, Northampton's Town Rentals, Temps Edward I & 1503-4, (unchecked) (Document). SNN54836.

<18> FOARD G., 1995, The Early Topography of Northampton And Its Suburbs, p.111 (checked) (Article). SNN104096.

<19> Dawson M., 2001, A Desktop Survey of 30-40 Campbell Street, Northampton, December 2000, (unchecked) (Report). SNN102213.

<20> Welsh T.C., 1996-7, Northamptonshire Archaeology, (unchecked) (Article). SNN104074.

<21> Cope-Faulkener P., 2007, Archaeological Watching Brief at Regent Street, Northampton, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Full Report). SNN105982.

<22> Cope-Faulkener P., 2007, Archaeological Watching Brief of A Service Trench at Regent Street, Northampton, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Full Report). SNN105983.

<23> Welsh T., 2007, Northampton and Portland: A Fundamental Question About Northampton in Saxon Times, (unchecked) (Discussion). SNN106003.

<24> Hiller J. Hardy A. Blinkhorn P., 2001, Excavations at Derngate Northampton 1997-2000 Draft Publication Report, p.4 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103078.

<25> Webster M.; Parry S., 2003, A Desk-Based and Building Assessment of Swan Motors, Formerly the Douglas Garage, 46-50 Sheep Street, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN103409.

<26> Williams J.H., 1975, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN66466.

<27> COUNCIL FOR INDEPENDENT ARCHAEOLOGY, 2007-8, Independent Archaeology Newsletter, p.20 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN106137.

<28> BARTY-KING H., 1985, Expanding Northampton, (unchecked) (Book). SNN106675.

<29> Wilson D.M. (Editor), 1976, The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England, (unchecked) (Book). SNN107011.

<30> EVANS J., 1878, Address to The Antiquarian Section of The Meeting of The Institute at Northampton, 1878, p.263-274 (unchecked) (Article). SNN105995.

<31> BAKER REV R.S., 1878, The Nene Valley a Roman Frontier, and The Origin of the Name Northampton, p.339-352 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107098.

<32> Brosnan, A., 2011, The Hidden World Beneath, (checked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN108533.

<33> DRYDEN H., 1887, DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Archive). SNN71843.

<34> Jones E.T.; Laughton J.; Clark P., 2000, Northampton In The Late Middle Ages, (unchecked) (Paper/s). SNN100229.

<35> Carlyle S., 2012, St. John's Car Park, St. John's Street, Northampton: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, (unchecked) (Report). SNN108262.

<36> Masters P., 2000, Desk-Based Archaeological Assessment Of The Proposed Grosvenor Shopping Centre Extension, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN100263.

<37> Lowe J., 2005, The Old Maltings and Former St Mark's Church, Green Street, Northampton: An Archaological Desk-Based Assessment, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105456.

<38> O'Reilly J., 2010, Historic Building Record in Respect of the Sessions House, Northampton, p.12-13 (checked) (Report). SNN108929.

<39> Various, Various, Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN111320.

<40> Chapman, A, 2021, Introduction: The archaeology of medieval Northampton (Article). SNN112904.

<41> Williams, J H, Shaw, M, & Chapman, A, 2021, Anglo-Saxon Northampton Revisited (Article). SNN112908.

<42> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 430-432 (Book). SNN111989.

<43> Historic England, Undated, Welsh, T. C.: Excavation and Fieldwork Archive, 1140382 (Archive). SNN115651.

<44> Dorothy Whitelock, 1961, Anglo Saxon Chronicle (A revised translation), p. 62-5 (Mention). SNN27410.

<45> Hill, D, 1981, An atlas of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 131 (Book). SNN113652.

<46> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/31,11,13,14,16,69,89,90,582 (Archive). SNN115.

<47> Shaw, M, 2020, Approaches to the analysis of the topography, origins, growth and development of English medieval towns: case studies of selected towns and their wider applicability (Thesis). SNN116307.

<48> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/59-61, 68 (Archive). SNN115.

<49> Chick, D and Symons, D J, 1990, A new penny of Offa from Northampton, p. 202 (Article). SNN116791.

<50> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

May 22 2025 11:55AM