SNN111095 - Abbey Lodge, Farthinghoe, Northants: Historic Building Assessment and Archaeological Watching Brief, 2017

A series of archaeological investigations was commissioned on Abbey Lodge, Farthinghoe, Northamptonshire (SP 53584 39797). A structure that is a grade II* listed building. Farthinghoe is a historical parish in the historic county of Northamptonshire. It is now located in South Northampton District and in the modern county of Northamptonshire. Investigation of the building determined that there were some six recognisable phases, which had not been fully assessed in the statement of significance. The earliest phase saw the construction of Block A, which contained a hall and two adjacent rooms on two levels. The date of this is not properly defined, and is interpreted from negative data as 15th century. The key features are the surviving timbers that were over the hall. Phase 2 saw the construction of a second hall at right-angles to the first, which is noted in the form of a butt joint and rebuild. This hall does not appear at first to be internally divided. A blocked window in the east wall, has a later wall butted against it. The building can be compared to Castle House, Castlethorpe, Buckinghamshire, which has a plan of a house with two halls so arranged dated to 1291. The third phase of activity is 16th century in date and associated with a date stone of 1581. This saw the insertion of the chimneys in Block A, the internal walls in Block B, and an extension on the north side of Block B. It is possible that Block C2 dates to this phase also. Phase 4 saw the insertion of Block C1. A 16th or 17th century date is considered to be the case here. Phase 5 saw the partial removal of the extension on the north side of Block B, and the construction of Block D. The inside of Block C1 was reworked. Both of these have details that would date them to the 17th century. The reworking of Block C1 has to be associated with the initial addition of a porch with passageway above. Phase 6a and 6b are both of a 19th century date.