Amen Corner, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire
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Amen Corner, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire An Archaeological Evaluation and Desk-Based Assessment for Mr Paul Smith by Sarah Coles and Lisa‐Maree Hardy Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code MLT02/94 November 2002 Summary Site name: Amen corner, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire Grid reference: SP 6938 4871 Site activity: Evaluation Date and duration of project: 31st October–1st November 2002 Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Sarah Coles Site code: MLT 02/94 Area of site: 455 sq m Summary of results: A 19th/20th century buried soil seals a series of medieval pits and a gully, which cut Roman pits. Monuments identified: Medieval pits, a medieval gully, two certain and three possible Roman pits. Location and reference of archive: The archive is currently held by Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47-49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5NR and will be deposited with an approved local museum in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford9 12.11.02 Steve Preston9 12.11.02 i Amen Corner, Moat Lane, Towcester An Archaeological Evaluation and Desk-Based Assessment by Sarah Coles and Lisa-Maree Hardy Report 02/94 Introduction This report documents the results of a desk-based assessment and archaeological field evaluation carried out at Amen Corner, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire (SP 6938 4871) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Dave Collins, 25 West Street, Ecton, Northampton, NN6 0QF, on behalf of Mr Paul Smith. A planning application is to be made to South Northamptonshire District Council to demolish an existing structure, with the exception of a listed wall (Grade II), and to redevelop the site. A field evaluation and desk- based assessment have been requested to provide information on the archaeological potential of the site, which would be used to draw up a mitigation strategy to minimize or mitigate the effects of development on any archaeological deposits present. This is in accordance with the Department of the Environment’s Planning Policy Guidance, Archaeology and Planning (PPG16 1990), and Northamptonshire County Council’s policies on archaeology. The field investigation was carried out to a specification approved by Mr Myk Flitcroft, County Archaeological Officer, Northamptonshire County Council. The fieldwork was undertaken by Sarah Coles, Clare Challis and Andy Mundin on the 31st October and 1st November 2002, and the site code is MLT 02/94. The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with an appropriate museum in due course. Location, topography and geology The site is located on the corner of Chantry Lane and Moat Lane, Towcester, in close proximity to St Lawrence Church and Bury Mount (Fig. 1).. The site is currently wholly occupied by a large warehouse. Access is gained via Moat Lane. The site is located at a height of approximately 90m above Ordnance Datum and lies on gravel, with Head deposits to the north and south (BGS 1969). Archaeological background and documentary evidence The prehistory of Towcester remains comparatively obscure beside the better-recorded later periods. However, evidence suggests activity in the area in the Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, with evidence of a 1 possible Iron Age settlement to the west of the town itself. A single late Iron Age ditch, possibly associated with gateposts was discovered during excavations at Bury Mount. Other finds associated with the Iron Age include four coins found around the town. Towcester’s Roman period, on the other hand, is much better known (the following notes draw heavily on the provisional review provided by Taylor et al. 2002). The Roman town which occupied the site of Towcester was called Lactodurum. This probably grew from a conquest-period fort established on the edge of the territories of the Corieltuavi and Catuvellauni. The town is well documented as an important centre, lying on the major road in the area, Watling Street. The Alchester Road which acted as the primary route to the south-west from the end of the 1st until the late 4th century also runs through Towcester. Archaeological evidence suggests that Watling Street was metalled and probably first used in the Flavian period (AD70s). Lactodurum was a major centre for trade, and archaeological evidence of large public buildings suggests that the town also served as an administrative centre for the surrounding area. Although some occupation was clearly established by as early as the 1st century AD, extensive occupation evidence only survives from the 2nd century onwards. The major area of settlement was to the west of Watling Street, on the floodplain of the Tove and Silverstone Brook. Development also flanked Watling Street, resulting in a ribbon settlement pattern. During the second century stone fronted buildings were constructed on road frontages along with houses and shops. In the core of the town religious and public buildings were constructed. In the later 2nd century a large rampart and ditch perimeter was constructed around the town core and around the major road junctions. These defences may have incorporated a stone wall, and by the 4th century included bastions. It is possible that the defences had four gateways, two of which stood at Watling Street, one to the east, and one to the west. It is assumed that one of these gates lies in Moat Lane, possibly in the area covered by the motte. The construction of the defences truncated existing settlement and smaller roads. Around the fringes of the settlement several small enclosures suggest small agricultural plots which were sometimes used for burials. The occupation of Lactodurum continued until the end of the 4th century and perhaps into the (ever-elusive) 5th. There is a general absence of evidence for the early Saxon period. The early to middle Saxon period is represented by a small number of pottery sherds, particularly in the vicinity of the castle, indicating possible occupation in this area. However, an early Saxon cemetery has been discovered to the north-west of Towcester. By the late Saxon period Towcester was once again the centre of occupation, possibly due to the refortification of the Roman town by Edward the Elder in AD 917. This appears to have followed his defeat of a Viking army 2 in this year, resulting in Towcester becoming a burh (which in this instance could refer to a physical fortification, or its administrative status, or both). Certainly, by 1086 there were two royal estates in the Tove Valley, one of which was Towcester. Prior to 917 Towcester was a part of the Mercian province attached to Kings Sutton, however after the reconquest it became a new shire attached to Northampton. Evidence of late Saxon Towcester includes boundary ditches, which may suggest an agricultural settlement within the Roman defences. Domesday Book of 1086 records Towcester possessing a mill and values of £25 per year, double its worth in Edward the Confessor’s time, suggesting a sudden upsurge in the affluence of Towcester and its industries. Towcester remained royal estate land for one hundred years following the Conquest. Roger de Clare, Earl of Hertford was granted Towcester by the Crown and in the middle of the 12th century was recorded as giving Towcester Mill to the Knights Templar. The construction of a Norman motte and bailey castle within the Roman defences suggests that the defences were still in existence or at least visible at this time. The castle was built as an estate castle, but was perhaps also used to control the road network. The major intersection of the medieval Oxford to Northampton road and Watling Street is in close proximity to the castle. The castle was in use for a century before falling into disrepair. In 1392 it was mentioned in a description of the town’s Manor House. It was described as having a hall house, and consisted of two chambers, a separate kitchen and stable. Adjacent was an ox-house with a stable and cart house. The castle is also described as possessing a moat. Towcester was a market town, and although the market is not first recorded until 1220, it is possible that a market existed prior to this. The site of the market is likely to have been from the church extending towards Watling Street, which is an area now covered by the present Market Square and Town Hall. The market would have contained a cross, although no evidence has been found. The market was also the site of the town’s gallows. Towcester’s status as a major commercial centre, exemplified by the successful market, continued throughout the medieval period into the post-medieval period. The development of coaching during the 17th century benefited the town, which was a major staging post during the 18th and 19th centuries, until the development of the railway (RCHME 1982; Sunderland 1998; Sunderland and Webb 1995; Taylor et al 2002). Northamptonshire Sites and Monuments Record A search was made of the Northamptonshire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) on the 21st October 2002 for an area of 150m surrounding the site. The results of this search indicate 88 records in close proximity to the site, 3 including 44 archaeological entries and 44 listed buildings. The locations of these records are illustrated in Figure 2 and the entries are summarized in Appendix 1. Prehistoric Three entries related to the prehistoric period. The first of these relates to the Mesolithic, which was represented by a small flint scatter observed during an evaluation (CAT 1992) [Fig. 2; 35]. An excavation to the north-west revealed struck flint dated to the Neolithic or possibly Bronze Age period [17].