Monument record 480/1 - Early Saxon Cemetery, East Highway Ground

This early Saxon cemetery was first discovered before 1834 when a stone-pit was dug in East Highway Ground. Several skeletons, orientated north to south were found over a number of years and these were accompanied by spears, swords, shield bosses, knives, beads and other articles. Many other finds, including more bones and whole skeletons, were made in about 1834 and 1836. None of these can now be traced except for numerous brooches

{1} Finds in stone pit on south side of Badby-Everdon road. 0.75 miles south and east of Badby and 0.75 miles southwest and south of Newnham and @0.25 miles south of Newnham Lodge. Notes taken 0/4/1843 from workmen on skeletons found in previous 12 years. Irregular spacing to burials sometimes several yards with no burials, others less than 4-5ft apart. About 20 Anglo-Saxon inhumations, orientated NS, in a space c.53 x 46 yards, were found at Newnham (SP5859). Finds included a few bead necklaces, 2 gilt brooches, bosses of shields, spearheads and 2 saucer-shaped brooches.

{2} Four remarkable fibulae, apparently Saxon, discovered about 10 years ago at Badby. Probably an ancient cemetery, on ground called East Highway Ground. A stone pit worked over many years has revealed many skeletons, north-south orientated. Immediately contingous to these have been found spears, swords, umbos of shields, knife blades, beads and various other small articles. No coins have been found. The finds have been dispersed (some detail given). The farmer kept the fibulae found and later presented these to Walford.

{7} Badby inhumation cemetery found c.1834, a large number of objects were found and dispersed. Some were said to be illustrated in Baker’s History of Northampton but the illustration could not be found. Circa 1836 more were found again but the tenant retained a large and handsome square-headed brooch, a disc brooch with geometric ornament, an annular brooch and a square headed small-long brooch, illustrated in JBAA. Whenever fresh ground was opened, bones and whole skeletons were found 18in below the surface. Newnham inhumation cemetery in 1829 about 20 skeletons were found at Newnham, all in small graves, heads to the south-west, face upwards, within an area of about 53 x 46yds. A large number of the skeletons were without weapons and Dryden therefore surmised that they were women and children. No pottery was recovered from the site, but in the Northampton Museum is a large collection of other finds from here. The OS conjectures that this and the Badby cemetery may be the same site.

{8} Charter of Cnut kcd 736 mentions area "wyrt wala" which is probably the projection from Newnham into Badby and Everdon parishes. Translation = Field of bodies? Notes on the burials by Dryden;


{9} The site was almost certainly in the angle between hedge and road at SP 5723 5870, for the following reasons: 1. Newnham Lodge farm, just north of this, was occupied in the early 19th c by a Mr John Key, and a member of his family (Mr R T Key of 12 High Street, Flitworth, Beds) has informed me that this is the traditional site. 2. At this site there is a noticeable depression suggesting the former existence of a stone pit, and its dimensions agree approximately with Dryden's figures of 53 yards by 46 yards. 3. 'East Highway' is the Badby-Everdon Road. The confusion between Bady and Newnham can easily be explained by the fact that for many centuries there was an undivided piece of land between the villages. An interesting additional point is that in a Charter of King Cnut (KCD 736) a triangular piece of land called 'Wyrt Wala' is mentioned and can probably be identified as the triangular projecting part of Newnham parish in which the site lies. 'Wyrt Wala' can possibly be translated as 'the field of bodies'.

{10} The cemetery was first discovered before 1834 when a stone-pit was dug in East Highway Ground. Several skeletons, orientated north to south were found over a number of years and these were accompanied by spears, swords, shield bosses, knives, beads and other articles. Many other finds, including more bones and whole skeletons, were made in about 1834 and 1836. None of these can now be traced except for numerous brooches, including large square-headed, disc, saucer, penannular, small-long, florid cruciform and swastika types, as well as wrist clamps, pins, rings and beads. This site is almost certainly the correct site said to have been found at Badby (SP57235870).

{12} Smith in the VCH quoting the above authorities describes separate sites at Newnham (dating the finds to 1829 on undisclosed evidence) and Badby, as does Baldwin Brown. But in fact there was almost certainly only one cemetery: (1) In none of the original sources are two cemeteries mentioned together; Dryden deals only with Newnham, Walford only Badby. (2) The description and dates are similar, and the same large square-headed brooch is illustrated in VCH as from Newnham and in JBAA as from Badby. (3) Badby and Newnham are just 1 1/2 miles apart, and at the time of the discoveries, Newnham was a parochial chapelry in Badby parish. (4) Walford mentions Mr Key as the tenant. Whellan records 2 farmers called Key in Newnham and none in Badby. If, therefore, there was just one cemetery, it is to be looked for on the Badby side of Newnham parish, where there was an early 18th c stone pit on a farm occupied by a Mr Key in a field called "East Highway Ground".

{13} The indicated site of authy {9} is occupied by an old stone pit, now reclaimed and under crop, the pit approximates the dimensions of authy {1}. The present owner/farmer has no knowledge of the cemetery but confirmed 'East Highway' as the Bady-Little Everdon road, he could not locate 'East Highway Ground' stating all local field names to be modern.
From the previous information there seems little doubt that there was only one cemetery and the suggested site appears sound. P N Skelton was a noted local historian and resident of Newnham.

<1> Dryden, H, 1884, Excavation of an Ancient Burial Ground at Marston St. Lawrence, co. Northampton, p.336 (unchecked) (Article). SNN103563.

<2> Walford E.G., 1846, Proceedings of The Committee (JBAA), p.60-61 (checked) (Journal). SNN43774.

<3> Wright T., 1847, Of Anglo-Saxon Antiquities, p.56-7 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106521.

<4> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.233 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<5> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.461; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<6> 1915, Baldwin Brown, p.781 (unchecked) (Report). SNN8633.

<7> Meaney A.L., 1964, Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites, p.186+193 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN10289.

<8> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/195/1 (Archive). SNN115.

<9> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, P N Skelton (letter 9.6.68) (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<10> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<11> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP55NE1 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<12> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, DJC (R1)03-NOV-60 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<13> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, 12/Feb (Notes). SNN110341.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:55PM