Monument record 1160/5 - Middle Saxon Cemetery (Possibly Predating St Gregory's Church)

Excavations in 1979 revealed several middle Saxon graves to the south of Gregory Street, approximately 15m from the site of St. Gregory's Church. Three C14 dates of AD590 +- 100, AD690 +- 70 and AD810 +- 70 were obtained.

{2} Four graves were aligned east-west at the north end of the site. One grave almost certainly underlay late Saxon metalling. If the graves relate to the known medieval church of St. Gregory's which was located just to north they would appear to substantiate the theory that the church's origins lie in the Saxon period.

{3} Excavations in 1979 revealed several middle Saxon graves to the south of Gregory Street, approximately 15m from the site of St. Gregory's Church.

{4} Several orientated graves were excavated immediately south of Gregory Street and some 15m from the site of St. Gregory's Church. One burial was sealed beneath late Saxon deposits. Three C14 dates of AD590 +- 100, AD690 +- 70 and AD810 +- 70 suggest that there was a middle Saxon cemetery contemporary with the palace complex to its west. It may have had its own church or chapel.

{5} Reassessment of the radiocarbon dates using modern calibration curve.

<1> Webster L.E.; Cherry J., 1980, Medieval Britain in 1979, p.229-30 (unchecked) (Note). SNN3678.

<2> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1980, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1979, p.169 (checked) (Article). SNN56490.

<3> Giggins B., 1990, Gregory Street, Northampton: a report on the development of St. Gregory's church and Northampton Free School, p.3 (checked) (Report). SNN2054.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.379 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Chapman, A, 2021, Appendix 2: The Radiocarbon Dates (Appendix). SNN112910.

<6> Jordan, D, Hedges, R, Otlet, R, Switsur, R and Walker, J, 1994, Radiocarbon Dates from samples funded by English Heritage between 1981 and 1988, p. 215-6 (Monograph). SNN112643.

Record last edited

Sep 11 2024 1:50PM