|
Towcester lays claim to being the oldest town in Northamptonshire and possibly, because of the antiquity of recent Iron Age finds in the town, to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the country. There is evidence that it was settled by humans since the Mesolithic era (middle stone age). There is also evidence of Iron Age burials in the area.
In Roman times, the Watling Street road (now the A5) was built through the area and a garrison town called Lactodurum was established on the site of the present day town. Some say the Battle of Watling Street was fought in 61 at a site two miles to the south-east of Towcester, in that small strange dip in Watling Street, or the A5 as it is now, in that corner of Northamptonshire known as Cuttle Mill.
Lactodurum was encompassed by a wall that was strengthened at several points by brick towers. Substantial remains of one of these towers could be seen until the 1960s, when it was demolished to make way for a telephone exchange. The wall was also surrounded by a ditch part of which became the Mill Leat on the east side of the town.
St Lawrence's Church, Towcester - New Years Day 2006
The modern day St Lawrence's Church in Towcester is thought to occupy the site of a large Roman civic building, possibly a temple. Small fragments of Roman pavement can be seen next to the church's boiler room.
[edit] The Saxon period and Medieval age
When the Romans left in the 5th century, the area was settled by Saxons. In the 8th century, the Watling Street became the frontier between the kingdom of Wessex and Danelaw, and thus Towcester became a frontier town. Edward the Elder fortified Towcester in 914. In the 11th century, the Normans built a motte and bailey castle on the site. Bury Mount is the name of what is left of the Norman fortification. The Motte and part of the Bailey remain and are a scheduled Ancient Monument, although listed as being "at risk". They are rather overgrown with trees and scrub although as of early July 2006, plans were afoot to make the site fit for archaeological excavation (source - Towcester and Brackley Post 7/7/2006).
[edit] Georgian and Victorian periods
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, in the heyday of the stagecoach, the Watling Street became a major coaching road between London and Holyhead, and Towcester flourished, becoming a major stopping point. Many coaching inns and stabling facilities were provided for travellers in Towcester many of which remain.
The coaching trade came to an abrupt halt in 1838 when the London and Birmingham Railway was opened, and Towcester soon reverted to being a quiet market town. By the 1870s, Towcester was linked to the national rail network by the Stratford Junction Railway, although this was closed to passengers in 1951 [1]. The advent of the motor age has brought new life to the town in recent years. Although the A43 now by-passes the town, the A5 trunk traffic passes directly through the historic market town centre causing traffic jams at some times of the day. The resulting pollution has led to the town centre being designated an Air Quality Management Area.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] External links to Towcester organisations
(Source: Wikipedia) |