Monument record 3608 - Great Harrowden

Great Harrowden shrunken village earthworks (site) & pottery found. In 1965 ploughing revealed the foundations in the medieval village of Great Harrowden and an excavation was undertaken in March 1966; houses with beaten clay floors and foundations of re-used stone were found, along with 12th century pottery and tiles.

{1} Excavation: in 1965 ploughing revealed the foundations in the medieval village of Great Harrowden and an excavation was undertaken in March 1966; houses with beaten clay floors and foundations of re-used stone were found, along with 12th century pottery and tiles. The excavation was directed by Mrs G Brown.

{4} Moat to NW of Red Hill, Great Harrowden.

{5} SP 879708. Ploughing in 1965 over the street and platforms of a village believed to have been occupied in the 12th-14th centuries revealed masonry and rough foundations of re-used stone. An area adjacent to a stretch of foundations 72ft long was excavated, and two rooms, one with a clay floor, the other with a floor of stones over clay, were seen. A circular feature at the intersection of the streets was seen to consist of massive faced masonry 4ft wide.

Features other than those excavated include a sunken road from Great Harrowden to Wellingborough joining the modern A509 where a tall house stood, and a moated site. The road and the north moat have now been filled in.

{6} Settlement remains and moat (SP 879707). The moat, up to 10m wide, surrounded an enclosure 90m by 60m, known to be the site of a large pond. The moat was abandonded by 1754, though a hollow way road was still in use at that date. N of Harrowden Hall (SP 88157110) large quantities of medieval and post medieval pottery were found during the construction of a golf course. NW of the church (SP 800710) a series of embanked enclosures were visible in 1947.

{7} Shrunken medieval village and moated site, now only visible in cropmark. The major feature, a sub-rectangular enclosure c.0.5ha in area surrounded by a moat, has been almost totally destroyed by ploughing. Medieval pottery sherds and building materials were recovered following the initial ploughing of the site and stone structures were discovered during subsequent rescue excavation. A hollow way to the south and a series of cropmark enclosures to the north were probably once associated.

{9} Main street and house platforms clearly visible before disturbance. Moat surrounding 13th century farmhouse/manor filled in, also sunken road south of the village. House foundations of stone and road now levelled. Houses in centre of village examined.

{10} Aerial photography 1981, cropmark complex.

{11} Abandoned by 1754 (NRO map)

{13} Recent ploughing and infill has obliterated the remains of the D.M.V. and sunken road, and only slight remains of the South spur of the moat can now be traced.
Published survey (25") revised.

{16} Booklet of Genealogical Notes dated 1880;

<1> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1969, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1967/68 (Medieval), 3/23 (checked) (Article). SNN57956.

<2> 1967, Medieval Archaeology (11), 11/308 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN26755.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP87SE8 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.412 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<5> Rahtz P. (Editor), 1969, Deserted Medieval Village Research Group (Vol.16), 16/24 (unchecked) (Annual Report). SNN47848.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.81/Site 10 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<7> Steadman S., 1992, A509 Isham And Great Harrowden Bypasses Archaeological Evaluation, Stage 1: Desk-top Survey, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN101558.

<8> Brown, G, 1966, Great Harrowden medieval settlement (Correspondence). SNN112745.

<9> Mrs G Brown, 1967, Excavations and Fieldwork, 1966-67 (Note). SNN115491.

<10> 1982, Aerial Photography in Northamptonshire 1981, p108 Great Harrowden (Journal). SNN104561.

<11> 1754, Northants Record Office map of Harrowden 1754, (unchecked) (Map). SNN47856.

<12> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCC AP: SP8770/19-21+28+29 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<13> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 J Baird 01-APR-1968 (Note). SNN111452.

<14> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP, BEN 61) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<15> Aerial Photograph, A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1925, 2240-3) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<16> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/139/1 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:51PM