Monument record 1017/3 - Naseby Market

The market was granted in 1203. Naseby lies in an area of the county distant from all the early established and successful towns. It may be that this was an attempt to exploit a commercial opportunity in this economically relatively peripheral area of the county. There are references to merchants in the village in the mid and late 13th century, though all three may be from a single family. It is however it is unclear whether the market ever actually functioned, for there is no reference to income from a market in the extents of 1293 and 1306-7 and it was certainly not in existence in 1330.

{1}Source also refers to initial summary text.
The position of the market place is probably indicated by the location of the market cross in the 18th century, immediately to the north of the church in Samuel Ireland’s of the Avon spring. The cross has since been moved twice and now no longer stands in the presumed market area. The street associated with this location, running eastward from the church, is called Newlands. It is possible that this represents an extension to the village resulting from the foundation of the market and laying out of the market place in the early 13th century.
There is a good early 17th century map of the settlement which enables topographical analysis but otherwise the settlement is relatively poorly documented, especially in the period of the market’s likely functioning. The archaeological investigations of the settlement have been largely restricted to the hamlet or End of Nutcote and no investigation has taken place in the area of the market and its environs. There is no earthwork survival in the latter part of the settlement and most of the area is built up. The site was not therefore taken forward for detailed study as part of the EUS. However an area of garden immediately north east of the church may preserve significant archaeological deposits related to a frontage onto the presumed market place.

<1> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Overview, Appendix 2 (checked) (Report). SNN103118.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2014 11:05AM