SNN103312 - An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for land at Guildhall Road and Swan Street, Northampton

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Northamptonshire Archaeology at Lower Mounts Northampton. The evaluation revealed that there had been significant 19th and 20th century disturbance on the site, in particular bordering the Lower Mounts, where there was up to 3m of made ground and other modern layers, and the remains of brick buildings and cellars. It was not possible to determine whether any earlier deposits survived beneath the recent levels. Remnants of the original land surface prior to the mid 19th century expansion of the town into this area was revealed beneath the car park to the rear of St Michael’s Road. Here, a gradual slope to the south was revealed, which suggests that the northern limit of the medieval and Civil War defences, if they survive, may lie near the base of the slope to the south of the car park and underneath the grass bank bordering Lower Mounts. No artefacts or features preceding the 19th century were found. No remains of the short-lived Victorian church of St Michael’s were located.