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The Prebendal Manor Research
Project
Excavations in and around the
Prebendal Manor at Nassington have been in progress since 1984. The
accumulated archaeological data demonstrates that the Prebendal site has
been used and occupied since early prehistoric times.
Currently there is no evidence for
the Mesolithic; a fragment from a polished stone axe and a collection of
worked flint from the recent field excavations away from the manor show
that the Neolithic and Bronze Age is represented. An Early Iron Age field
and fence system crosses obliquely under the manor house. Roman pottery,
most likely of a manuring scatter; indicates that the fields of a Roman
farmstead also occupied the site.
Prior to the excavations and
documentary investigation, little was known about the manorial
development, social changes and architectural alterations of the manor at
Nassington. This unique opportunity of being to fully examine the
structural development of an upstanding manor from its early origins to
the present day, has provided valuable information which will aid
interpreting other manorial sites where structure is fragmentary or non
existent.
In 1984 excavations took place in
an area close to the southern boundary of the church and also on the
eastern boundary of the Late Saxon timber aisled hall.
The area excavated was in the
northern half of a modern enclosed agricultural yard, generally called the
“Bullock Yard”.
There were considerable Post
Medieval and modern disturbances in the excavation area including a very
compacted limestone track way. Beneath more recent material was a Late
Saxon stone pit from which a thinly bedded limestone had been extracted.
This pit was provisionally dated to the mid tenth century by the abundant
Stamford Ware pottery, and pre-dated any stone building on the Prebendal
Manor site. It is therefore probable that the thinly bedded limestone was
used for infilling for walls of an earlier stone church in Nassington. A similar situation was found during the excavations of the
Raunds manorial complex (pers.obs). A number of Late Saxon marl clay pits
have been recorded on the Prebendal Manor site which would have provided
daub for the timber building on the site, fertilizer for the fields, and
may also have provided lime plaster for the Saxon stone church.
The southern end of the “Bullock
Yard” was enclosed by a back stone wall and a large barn which was
demolished in 1972. The north and east side were enclosed by boundary
walls and the rear wall of the Lodgings provided the boundary to the west.
It is thought that the Lodgings was
built in the late 15th century at a time when prestige demanded
an increased retinue. The prebendaries were also obliged to accommodate
six clerics for twelve days annually and to provide fodder for the horses
for the duration of these visits. (2)
Originally the Lodgings was twice
the size but during the eighteenth century its north end was demolished.
The east entrance of the cross passage was blocked in. The west
entrance was also filled in and a new larger entrance was inserted almost
adjacent to the earlier west entrance. It is probable that at this time
the lower floor was used for stabling cart horses and the upper floor as a
granary. The Lodgings is parallel to the manor at the service south east
end; a cobbled surface was laid between the two buildings.
Evidence of occupation begins with
a series of the Saxon timber post buildings dated to 850AD - 950 AD. These
timber posts were revealed under the great hall of the present stone manor
and the demolished north end solar. (3)
The site develops with the construction of an aisled Late Saxon
timber hall which was one of King Cnut’s royal manor. (4) In 1123 Henry
I granted the manor to the bishop of Lincoln for the endowment of a
prebend.
In 1997 as a condition of a
planning consent to extend the Lodgings on its east side, excavations were
undertaken by a team of Czech MA students from Charles University, Prague
and also from the universities of Opava and Plzen.
During the 1984 excavations the
limit of the 10th century stone pit had not been revealed.
However at the western boundary wall of the “Bullock Yard” the pit had
become very shallow and it was doubtful that it would extend much further
west. To the north the modern road prevented further exploration and to
the east the property boundary prevented excavation in that direction.
The pit topography showed that it was shallow in the west edge and
became progressively steeper to the east. This incline was also maintained
in the southern profile section. It was therefore hoped that the 1997
excavation would provide the full extent of the stone pit to the south.
Removing the layers of a compacted
modern farm yard and rubble surfaces and the 19th century track
way surface proved extremely difficult. Numerous large and deep modern
post pits, some with cement bases and some so deep that they went below
the water table, had to be taken out. These post holes are associated with
a range of modern and late 19th century barns that covered this
area during the past century. A deep modern water pipe trench had been cut
diagonally across the site to provide water for an animal trough in a barn
south of the Lodgings.
There was almost a total absence of
deposits between the modern layer and the Late Saxon layer which was
probably caused by “mucking out” over a number of years in the
“Bullock Yard”. The Lodgings footings were also only covered with an
accumulation of a modern layer, again probably due to the cleaning out of
the yard.
There was a limestone edging which
may have belonged to a modern pigsty that was excavated in 1984.
Surprisingly, pre-modern features
were not numerous. The Late Medieval ditch, first recorded in 1984 which
traversed north-south close to the west wall that had been also recorded
in 1984 was verified. However it ended abruptly a metre into the new
excavation sloping down into a deep pit which may have been dug as a
soak-away.
As a structural element its
position in the order of the overall manorial site and its relationship
with the lodgings is at present not understood.
Evidence of the Late Saxon period
proved in some ways disappointing; the stone pit (34) extended into the
site by 2.6m and then became quite shallow. The geology of the site
changed to marl clay just south of the pit, rendering further limestone
extraction impossible. The
dark greasy fill of the pit appears to have been “walked out” for
several more metres. At the bottom of this section of the pit were a
number of stake holes identical to those recorded during the 1984
excavations. These stake holes were probably created by the use of an iron
point driven into the limestone to fracture and loosen the stone for
removal. The backfill of the pit contained a large amount of Stamford ware
pottery.
There were two small pits that cut
marl clay both containing Late Saxon pottery that may have been small clay
pits. Of interest are two Late Saxon ditches. A metre wide ditch (890)
appears from under the northern end of the Lodgings and was recorded
inside the Lodgings in 1992 during structural repair work to the building.
The ditch curves northwards to wards the stone pit where it appears to
terminate. The terminal was masked by the large pit at the end of the late
medieval ditch (37). The other Late Saxon ditch (840) traverses almost the
entire length of the site in a north south direction and it too is
truncated by the large stone pit. This ditch is very ephemeral and only a
0.3m cut for most of its length. The later Post Medieval lowering of the
surfaces has contributed greatly to the lack of depth to this ditch. The
purpose of both the ditches is as yet not determined but ditch (840) is
parallel to the Late Saxon aisle hall and extends at its south end past
the limits of this excavation.
Excavation on a site with such
longevity and intensive use provides difficulties as residuality a
problem. However the 1997
excavations produced 4,480 finds of which Stamford ware forms the largest
ceramic group and can be counted as a valuable addition to the ceramic
potential for the site.
The earlier excavations of 1989 to
1991 in the gardens to the east front of the manor revealed a metalled
courtyard bounded by medieval buildings. One of these buildings, possibly
a Late Saxon gatehouse, extended across the present boundary into the
modern road. The relationship
of the buildings to a recently identified blocked gateway in the existing
boundary suggests at least one of them is the gatehouse described in 11649.
(5) This building is contemporary with the laying down of a limestone
cobbled courtyard. The demolition of this building in the 18th century
preceded the importation of a metre layer of garden soil covering the
cobbled courtyard.
Large limestone pits were also
recovered, which are dated to 12th, 13th, 14th and early 19th centuries.
The earlier pits were associated with the timber building and the latter
probably provided stone for the construction of the manor and its
outbuildings at various times.
No pits in this area could be
assigned to the building of the stone gatehouse and courtyard phase. The
Early Iron Age ditch previously recorded continued east from beneath the
manor into the front garden for 10 metres and was butted by ditch of the
same period traversing south.
In 1992 excavations were undertaken
within the Lodgings building prior to new pipes being laid. A section of a
Late Saxon ditch was recorded and also a dark greasy Late Saxon occupation
layer much damaged by Post Medieval features which related to use of the
Lodgings as a stable in the Post Medieval Period.
The Methodology
The Excavations within the Manor
were undertaken within a pre-excavation plan and by the removal of floors
(stone and wooden) after which hand tools were used. All features were
excavated either to natural bedrock or clay. A written record was compiled
using pro forma context sheets. Context numbers were assigned to
archaeological features and deposits. Where preservation was thought good,
samples were taken for later assessment.
Within the front garden an initial
hand dug trench was cut north - south across the entire length to
determine the depth of topsoil.
A digger was then used to remove the first metre of topsoil after
which the site was excavated using hand tools to a pre-excavation plan.
In order to recover as much environmental data as possible the pits
within this excavation were sieved and samples were also taken for later
analysis.
All other excavated areas had
little or no topsoil and have been hand dug. In every case the excavations
were undertaken within a pre-excavation plan and a written record was
compiled using pro forma context sheets. Baulk sections provided a profile
of all the excavated areas. Plans were drawn @ 1.20 and sections drawn @
1.10. Detailed plans were tied to the site by using an EDM. Overlays were
generated for each phase. A
detailed photographic record of the property has been undertaken.
Archaeological work
continues at the manor and further information will be forthcoming.
Bibliography
1.
Franklin M.J.
The Identification of Minsters in the Midlands
Vol. VII P69-88
2.
C.J Gordon
Nassington cum Yarwell. Kings 1890
3.
Foster P. Johnston G. Baile J.
The Prebendal Manor at Nassington, Northamptonshire
4.
Chronicon
Abbatiae Ramesiensis, ed W.D.Macray, RS 1886, p125
5
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PRO:V/VIII/V/I/24:LAO:DIV/70.
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