From ‘palace’ to ‘town’: Northampton and urban origins
John H. Williams
In the second half of twelfth century Northampton was one largest and wealthiest towns in all England. This represented, however, only a transient phase, since by early part fourteenth town had assumed more modest position. As result series disastrous fires sixteenth seventeenth centuries, little now survives to remind us Northampton's former medieval glories, its earlier development has been until recently but dimly perceived. Over last decade, archaeological other research facilitated identification elements continuity upper Nene basin (in which lies) stretching back several thousand years. particular it is possible demonstrate that late Saxon borough emerged as culmination gradual evolutionary process throughout Anglo-Saxon period rather than single dramatic act foundation. important implications for ideas relating re-emergence ninth tenth centuries particularly significant no obvious major Romano-British antecedent.
Anglo-Saxon England