Building record 0409700000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, HARTWELL

Dimensions - Length 20m, Width 12m.
Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
ORIGINALLY ?REIGN OF RICHARD III. REBUILT 1660 (B1).
WATCHING BRIEF DURING DRAINAGE WORKS IN SEPTEMBER 2000 RECORDED 3 OR 4 INHUMATIONS TO THE SOUTH OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY CHURCH, AT A DEPTH OF 0.8M BELOW GROUND LEVEL . A LATE MEDIEVAL/EARLY POST-MEDIEVAL CONSTRUCTION OR DEMOLITION DEPOSIT OVERLAY ONE OF THE GRAVES. TO THE NORTH OF THE CHURCH, MADE GROUND POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED WITH C18 LANDSCAPING WAS RECORDED. BURIALS WITHIN LATE MEDIEVAL CHURCHYARD? BUT AT LEAST SOME MAY POST-DATE CONSTRUCTION OF THE C18 CHURCH (B11).
Geophysical survey locates possible site of original medieval church in present church grounds (B12).
Trial trench dug by Northamptonshire Archaeology in May 2007 to investigate geophysical anomalies identified deep demolition and make-up layers probably of the medieval church. No evidence of walls or floors survived, suggesting that demolition had been extensive. Finds recovered were mostly of mid-eighteenth century date but included a few residual pottery sherds and a uniform button with the Bourbon coat of arms. See report for details (B14).