Monument record 1160/3 - Northampton's Medieval & Post Medieval Town Wall and Defences

Northampton town wall and defences. The wall was built by the 1st Earl of Northampton, Simon de senlis I, between 1090-1111. Grants of murage were made in 1224, 1251, and 1301, the latter so large that it suggests a rebuild rather than repair. The four main gates were on the Market Harborough, London, Kettering and Daventry roads. After falling into disuse in the 16th century, it was repaired in 1642-3. Demolished on Royal orders in 1662. Speed's map of 1610 shows two triangular bastions towars the south-east corner on the south side.Excavations in Green street in 1986-7 recovered the most complete sequence yet found. The earliest defences were a clay bank revetted in timber of early 10th century date. This was later refaced in stone and a gateway ceated. The latter was blocked in the 12th century when the Mediaeval town wall was built. Evidence of Civil War usage was seen in two ditches cut into the Medieval infilled ditch.

{1}Priory of St Andrew's occupied north-west angle of town's fortifications which were possibly in existence by c.1100 as monastery is attributed to Simon de Senlis; building of walls also attributed to Simon de Senlis; rebuilt in 1251 & 1301; further repairs were authorised in 1378 & 1400 & 1549; town walls ran north & east of Northampton; to west & south castle & river formed adequate defences; line of later wall & ditch still clearly traceable from its north-west corner on river/along south side of St George's St/Campbell St/Upper & Lower Mounts/York Rd/Cheyne Walk/Cattle Market Rd/Weston St/across gas works (Marvell's Mill Postern) & up to West Gate near castle; it has previously been argued that an earlier eastern defensive line ran west of St Giles' Church; Goosey's map of town suggests more than single phase to eastern defence; excavations north of Abington St appear to discount this theory; evidence of repair work in C17th

{2}Old wall is shown on south & east sides of town; wall flanks Cow Meadow & Tower Close & runs slightly to east of St Giles' Church

{3} Medieval town walls mentioned in Richard I's charter to Northampton in 1189 but it is suggested that they were in existence c.1100 & almost certainly by mid C12th; tradition attributed building of medieval walls to Simon de Senlis I; contemporary charter mentions "….hospites manentes extra fossatum…." but may refer to Saxon defensive line; repair work to defences was carried out through to C17th; after restoration of monarchy in 1662 walls were largely demolished to prevent town again becoming parliamentary stronghold

{4} At time of Conquest town was still in ruins; Simon de Senlis was responsible for rebuilding town & its castle & fortifications; town walls were probably built c.1100; walls apparently embattled during Edward I's reign 1277-8 & at different places had steps to ascend them; they were broad enough to have had 6 persons walking abreast & formed communication from one part of town to another; in addition to walls town was defended particularly on west by series of mounds or earthworks possibly of pre-Conquest date; some mounds were at right-angles & termed 'cross-mounds'; there was also considerable ditch all round beneath walls; numerous repairs to fortifications were undertaken between C13-17th; upon Restoration of Monarchy it was resolved that Northampton would not be military stronghold for parliamentarians & Charles II ordered complete demolition of walls & castle

{5} Shows old wall with different details of plan; surviving with 2 bastions along line of Victoria Promenade with 'old ditch' stretching along line of Cheyne Walk & The Mounts as far as Regent Sq; ditch on north-east side may well be Civil War date rather than medieval; no wall shown at this point & area beyond ditch at The Mounts is designated as fields

{7} Shows wall starting some distance from castle; encompasses St Andrew's Priory following line of St George's St/The Mounts/York Rd/Cheyne Walk/Victoria Promenade & extending some 250m west to Mervyn's Mill; area to south & east of castle is shown unwalled; generally considered that medieval defensive circuit preserved by existing roads but superimposition of Speed's map & modern map allow for possibility that medieval wall could have lain to north-east of The Mounts; no features are shown outside wall at this point

{8} Town was walled about & had 4 large gates

{9} Town walls referred to in borough charters granted by Richard I in 1189 & John in 1200; Cox believed that wall was built by Simon de Senlis I & ran south of St Andrew's Priory & west of St Giles' Church & also tower which was still standing not far from Derngate

{10} Murage grants in 1224 & 1251 & 1301; possibly suggests rebuilding works; in 1275 north & west & south gates are mentioned as well as Derngate & Cougate

{11} Charter referring to time of Simon de Senlis mentions "….hospites manentes extra fossatum…."

{12} Charter of Simon talks of ditch "….fossa eorum…." & "….fossa burgi…."

{13} Mentions wall & bailey by which vill is enclosed

{15} In 1275 'King's ditch' & common way ran between west gate & Mervyn's Mill & in 1504 some part of town's wall recorded lying in St Peter's Parish; not visible on Speed's map

{16}Ruined sections of town wall shown to east & possibly to west of South Bridge

{17}Possible length of town wall to west of South Bridge

{18}In late C11th Simon de St Liz built castle & surrounded town with embattled walls; 4 main gates were Northgate & Westgate & Southgate & Eastgate; in addition was smaller gate or postern south of Eastgate called Durngate; in second year of Henry III (1217-8) mention is made of tower at south-east corner which was supposed to have been an armoury as well as place of communication with castle; mount called Latymer's Tower; during Civil War town was garrisoned under Lord Brooke; walls were repaired & fortifications strengthened; south & west bridges were converted into drawbridges; additional fortifications thrown up in defenceless places; in 1662 by order of king walls of town were demolished & part of castle taken down

{19}Northampton was formerly encircled with fortifications & defended on west by castle; supposedly constructed by Simon de Senlis; town walls had 4 gates to north & south & east & west; in Henry III's reign sheriff was ordered to deduct 6d from rent in borough towards enclosing town; probably used for repairs to wall which had decayed or been damaged by barons in preceding reign; in Edward I's reign walls were embattled & at different places had steps to ascend them; at south-east corner of wall was tower mentioned as early as Henry III's time; course of wall ran from St Thomas' in Cow Meadow across to Derngate & towards east end of St Giles' Church up to St Edmund's End; then along Mounts past St Sepulchre & along south side of St George's St; from there by barrack wall down to St Andrew's Mill where part of fosse can still be seen; north-west side of Naseby branch of River Nene formed protection down to Westbridge & southwards to Cotton Mill

{20}Framed autotype print of south-west view of Northampton showing tower & wall & castle

{21}Town….is walled about strong & high excepting west which is defended by river parted into many streams; upon west part of town stands large castle….to which south part of town wall is joined & in round circuit meets river in north extending in compass 2120 paces

{22}In 1642 new fortifications were planned to supplement surviving medieval town walls; theoretical plan published in 1646 by Papillon but was not implemented; bridges were ordered to be chained up; construction of defences organised by P.Cave 1643-6; barns of St Andrew's Priory were demolished suggesting shorter circuit of defences with abandonment of medieval walls in 1642; other defence works were added to main gates in addition to wall & gates & flankers & bulwarks; name 'The Mounts' preserves memory of 4 artillery platforms built as part of Civil War defences; Charles II summoned for town walls & gates to be demolished in 1662; local residents used town wall as quarry for stone; south bastion was preserved for shelter of Justices on Bench because newly constructed Sessions in town not in use until 1675

{23}Alternative alignment for medieval town defences suggested by analysis of historic maps & earthworks & topographical features; evidence suggests that town walls cross Victoria Promenade obliquely & follow line between Spring Gardens & St Giles' Church

{24}Alternative interpretation of medieval defences offered; includes conjectural line of defences along Church Lane

{25}Carmelites applied to king for permission to enclose portion of town walls adjoining their close & block up crenelles; jurors response stated that people of town & especially sick walked on walls between gates to take air & would no longer be able to do so if application granted; also watchmen would be restricted in their vigilance over those entering town & security would be compromised; application was refused

{27}Shows track or road encircling town wall beyond The Mounts

{28}Shows 2 allotments fronting onto Campbell Square & Campbell St whose northern boundary believed to mark line of Civil War defences

{29} T.C.Welsh put forward hypothesis that there are records of town defences on the south-west of the town. Based on 1586 terrier of town properties and Noble and Butlin map of 1746.

{30} T.C. Welsh claims that distortions on Roper and Cole map of 1807 may effect interpretation of where the civil war defences of Northampton were located.

{31}The survey of 1586 makes no reference to a town wall and this would appear to suggest that it was either fully levelled or at least largely ruinous. Upper fills of Civil War defences were sealed by a layer containing scattered fragments and blocks of ironstone (most probably derived from the medieval town wall). This indicates that there was a deliberate levelling and clearance of the site in which remnants of the town wall were thrown down the pronounced scarp between the bank and the infilled ditches. The date of this event has not been established but it must have been either late in the 17th or early in the 18th century.

{41} Evaluation undertaken prior to the start of Regent Square road improvement. No evidence was found of the defences in any of the areas investigated, suggesting that the expected town ditch does not lie along the southern edge of Campbell Square and is also unlikely to lie beneath it.

{27} Evaluation in advance of proposed development identified a slope that may be the base of the Civil War/medieval town defences.

{44} Geotechnical work at St Peter's Waterside identified deep sequences containing well-stratified organic-rich deposits indicative of ditch-fills, possibly of the Saxon/medieval defences. A limestone wall may be part of the town wall, although this was not clearly identified.

{45} 'There be yn the waulle of Northampton 4 gates, namid by este, west, north and south. The Este gate is the fairest of them alle…The castel stondeth hard by the West gate, and hath a large kepe.'

<1> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<2> Noble; Butlin, 1746, Town Map, (checked) (Map). SNN430.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.327-30 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> BROWN R.W., 1915, THE ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS OF THE TOWN OF NORTHAMPTON, 88 (checked) (Article). SNN42741.

<5> Roper; Cole, 1807, Map of The Town of Northampton, (checked) (Map). SNN621.

<6> Brown R.A.; Colvin H.M.; Taylor, 1963, The History of The Kings' Works (Vol.II), p.751 (unchecked) (Series). SNN3801.

<7> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN559.

<8> Lee H., 1931, A History of Northampton, p.68 (unchecked) (Article). SNN42839.

<9> Cox Rev.J.C., 1898, Records of The Borough of Northampton, p.25 (unchecked) (Book). SNN3421.

<10> ILLINGWORTH W., 1812, ROT HUND, 3 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN42841.

<11> BL COTT, (unchecked) (Document). SNN42651.

<12> BL COTT, (unchecked) (Document). SNN42653.

<13> BL ROYAL, (unchecked) (Document). SNN42655.

<14> 1275, ROT HUND, 3 (unchecked) (Document). SNN56714.

<15> 1504, RENTALS AND SURVEYS, (unchecked) (Document). SNN42719.

<16> COLLINS AND HARRIS, 1726, SOUTH WEST PROSPECT, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN42720.

<17> BUCK S. & N., 1731, SOUTH WEST PROSPECT, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN42727.

<18> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.101+120-21; Copy in NDC SMR File M19; (checked) (Book). SNN1002.

<19> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.27-29+62 (checked) (Book). SNN1032.

<20> 1954, N.MUS DONATIONS FORMS, (unchecked) (Note). SNN41051.

<21> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN559.

<22> Foard G.R., 1994, The Civil War Defences of Northampton, Fig.10 (checked) (Article). SNN826.

<23> Hiller J. Hardy A. Blinkhorn P., 2001, Excavations at Derngate Northampton 1997-2000 Draft Publication Report, p.4-5 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103078.

<24> WELSH T.C., 1996, NORTHAMPTON TOWN DEFENCES - CHURCH LANE "FRACTURE", (unchecked) (Notes). SNN41056.

<25> 1278, INQUIS AD QUOD LAMNUM, (unchecked) (Document). SNN41058.

<26> Wood; Law, 1847, Town Map of Northampton, (unchecked) (Map). SNN752.

<27> Pierce M., 1632, A true plot and description of al the Ancient Demesne Lands belonginge to the Priorye of St Andrew's in 1632, (unchecked) (Map). SNN365.

<28> 1779, Northampton Enclosure Map (NRO Map 5700), (checked) (Map). SNN40916.

<29> WELSH T.C., 1997, NORTHAMPTON TOWN WALLS - SOUTH-WEST SIDE, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN48421.

<30> WELSH T.C., 1998, CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN46449.

<31> Chapman A., 1998, Excavation of The Town Defences at Green Street, Northampton 1995-6, 25-60 (Article). SNN39672.

<32> Welsh T.C., 2002, SMR Report Form, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN101593.

<33> Welsh T.C., 2002, Document Search: The Course Of The Medieval Town Wall, St Andrew's Mill To Abington Street, Northamp, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN101594.

<34> Welsh T.C., 2000-01, Documentary Sources for The Course of The Medieval Town Wall, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN103958.

<35> Chapman A, 1996-7, Northampton, Campbell Square, (Checked) (Note). SNN104089.

<36> WELSH T.C., 1994, Observations on Northampton Medieval Walls, Albion Place to Abington Street, (Checked) (Note). SNN4100.

<37> Dawson M., 2001, A Desktop Survey of 30-40 Campbell Street, Northampton, December 2000, (unchecked) (Report). SNN102213.

<38> Walker C., 2011, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of Land at Castle Station, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN107932.

<39> CHAPMAN A., 1998, Excavation of The Town Defences at Green Street, Northampton 1995-6, (unchecked) (Report). SNN39652.

<40> Cox, J., 1899, The Borough Records of Northampton Vol II (Book). SNN110333.

<41> Chapman A, 1985, Northampton: The Northern Defences (Note). SNN110951.

<42> Carlyle, S., 2003, Archaeological Evaluation at Lower Mounts and 4, 6 & 8 St Michaels Road, Northampton (Report). SNN103314.

<43> Andy Chapman, 1995, ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF LAND AT GREEN STREET NORTHAMTPON (Report). SNN72323.

<44> Molloy, T, 2014, St Peter's Waterside, St Peter's Way, Northampton: Archaeological Watching Brief (Report). SNN116282.

<45> Leland J., 1543, Itinerary (Series). SNN13988.

Record last edited

Mar 4 2025 12:13PM