Monument record 1160/2 - Northampton's Saxon Defences

The line of Northampton's Saxon defences has been argued on topographical grounds with modern streets fossilising intra- and extra-mural streets of this period. Probably 10th century

{2} Town of Northampton was encircled with walls of pre-Norman days, probably consisted of earth ramparts surmounted by wattled palisades.

{3} Lee suggests that late Saxon defences ran between line of following streets: Scarletwell St & Bath St; Bearward St & Silver St; Drapery & College St;Bridge St & Kingswell St. The defences presumably comprised an earthen bank & ditch; this has been investigated in a number of places but no definite archaeological confirmation of Lee's hypothesis has been found. To the south & west the river probably formed main defensive barrier; Fig 7 shows alignment of possible defences of Saxon town.

{4} On topographical grounds Lee argued that Scarletwell St & Bearward St & Drapery & Bridge St fossilised extramural street; likewise Bath St & Silver St & College St & Kingswell St intramural street; together form Saxon defensive perimeter; various attempts to test hypothesis have been ambiguous;

{5} Contemporary charter mentions "..hospites manentes extra fossatum.." which may refer to Saxon defensive line;

{6} Construction of Saxon defences between 900-975AD (based on pottery assemblages of St Neot's Ware and Northampton Ware). It is tempting to associate the original ditch, bank and timber revetment with the documented presence of the Danish army in Northampton in the early C10th, but while the pottery dating isn't inconsistent with this interpretation it must also be accepted that the dating is so imprecise that an origin later in the C10th and in particular a date after the Saxon reconquest of the Danelaw in 917 AD, cannot be excluded. The question of who constructed the original defences must therefore remain unresolved. The form of the late Saxon defences at Green Street may be typical of the circuit as a whole.

{11} A trench was excavated across Bath Street and land to the north in 1975 in an attempt to locate the Saxon defences. No evidence was identified.

<1> Lee F., 1953, A New Theory of The Origins and Early Growth of Northampton, p.164-74 (unchecked) (Article). SNN3419.

<1> Mynard, DC, 1972, Northampton: Trial excavation on the probable line of the Saxon Town Defences, p.42 (Note). SNN41220.

<2> Brown R.W., 1915, The Ancient Fortifications of The Town of Northampton, p.85 (checked) (Mention). SNN3533.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.46 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.326 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> 1100, Charter, BL COTT VESP E XVII F.10B (unchecked) (Document). SNN46020.

<6> Chapman A., 1998, Excavation of The Town Defences at Green Street, Northampton 1995-6, (checked) (Article). SNN39672.

<7> Welsh T.C., 1999, The Feasibility of The Alleged Late Saxon Defences, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN56734.

<8> Welsh T., 2007, Northampton and Portland: A Fundamental Question About Northampton in Saxon Times, (unchecked) (Discussion). SNN106003.

<9> Walker C., 2011, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of Land at Castle Station, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN107932.

<10> CHAPMAN A., 1998, Excavation of The Town Defences at Green Street, Northampton 1995-6, (unchecked) (Report). SNN39652.

<11> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1976, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1975, p. 199 (Journal). SNN169.

Record last edited

Jul 10 2025 10:09AM