| Title: |
The excavation of a late 15th- to 17th-century tanning complex at The Green, Northampton
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| Issue: |
Post-Medieval Archaeol 30 |
| Series: |
Post-Medieval Archaeology
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| Volume: |
30
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| Page Start/End: |
63 - 127 |
| Biblio Note |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database.
The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.
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| Publication Type: |
Journal
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| Abstract: |
Excavations at The Green, Northampton, in 1983 revealed up to three tanneries, which are described and discussed. Earlier excavations immediately to the north at St Peter's Street had uncovered evidence of two further tanneries. These are reassessed in the light of the evidence from The Green. The phase of tanning activity can be divided into two, sub-phase 1 being dated c. 1470--1550 and sub-phase 2 being dated c. 1550--1700. Evidence of earlier activity in the area, principally of late Saxon to medieval date, was uncovered, but the main phase of tanning activity coincided with a period of dereliction. The tanneries were composed of circular and rectangular pits. The animal bone evidence would suggest that cattle and horse hides and sheep skins were all being processed, despite contemporary prohibitions of this practice. All of the tanneries were small, the largest comprising thirty-six to thirty-seven pits. Many of the pits contained deposits of lime and ash which were used in the de-hairing process. Chemical analyses of soil samples from the pits suggest that they were used both for pre-tanning operations and for tanning itself. The archaeological findings are amplified by documentary evidence that a number of tanners were working in the area from the sixteenth century onwards. Two streets with names linked to tanning (Tanner Street and Barker Street) were located nearby. Includes specialist reports on |
| Year of Publication: |
1997
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| Subjects / Periods: |
| Cattle (Auto Detected Subject) |
|
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| Horse Hides (Auto Detected Subject) |
| Sixteenth Century (Auto Detected Temporal) |
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PIT
(Monument Type England)
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| Ash (Auto Detected Subject) |
| Animal Bone (Auto Detected Subject) |
| Sheep Skins (Auto Detected Subject) |
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|
| Source: |
BIAB
(The British & Irish Archaeological Bibliography (BIAB))
|
| Created Date: |
15 Aug 2005 |
