Castle Park Heritage Part 14: Archaeological Excavations
Excavations from Chalk Lane and Castle Park
The grassy area behind the houses on Chalk Lane was excavated in the early 1960s to uncover the surviving north-eastern corner of the inner bailey of the castle. There were remains of two main buildings.
Against the bailey bank to the east were the royal apartments that had been destroyed by the recorded fire of 1318, and the remains of the decorated stonework from the doors and windows, as well as numerous fragments from stained-glass windows, were found.
In the North-Eastern corner of the inner bailey, there had been a large kitchen range, containing several circular ovens, for baking bread and perhaps also for brewing drinks.
The area of Castle Park was excavated in the mid-1970s, and here there were remains of timber houses from the late Saxon town, which had been levelled to enable the building of the castle. These buildings had been protected by the overlying castle bank for several hundred years.
Excavation findings from redevelopment of Northampton Railway Station, 2013
Ahead of the rebuilding of the station, archaeologists were able to investigate the surviving remains of the castle beneath the 20th century car park.
A small stone building lay in the south-western corner of the outer bailey, and a stone road surface led to a postern gate, which would have given direct access to the medieval west bridge. There were also late Saxon pits and ditches buried beneath the castle levels. The postern gate can now be seen in the 19th century boundary wall of the railway station site, where it was placed by the station builders.
One of the most significant discoveries during the excavations was the identification and study of the castle's medieval stone foundations. Archaeologists uncovered parts of the motte and bailey structure, which included sections of the defensive earthworks, and a large stone wall believed to have been part of the castle keep.
A castle keep is the strongest part of a castle and used at the place of last resort if a castle were to be under attack.
Excavations uncovered numerous artifacts, including pottery fragments, animal bones, and metal objects, many of which dated back to the medieval period. These items help us to understand the daily life and activities that occurred at the castle during its prime.
Evidence was found of a shoe factory that operated on the castle site during World War I, including left over pieces of industrial buildings, tools, and debris relating to the manufacturing of footwear.
Excavations also revealed evidence of earlier railway construction layers and remaining sections of 19th century buildings together with medieval and World War I-era artifacts, demonstrating the long and varied history of the area.
Last updated 17 October 2025