How did Middle Saxon kings govern their estates, and how did the
mechanism of early forms of regional administration work? A spectacular
site on the outskirts of Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire has
demonstrated that archaeology can add significantly to the debate.
Between 1993 and 2003, Oxford Archaeology undertook a major programme of
survey and excavation on the outskirts of the town, uncovering extensive
remains dating from the Middle Bronze Age to the late medieval period.
This volume deals with the Anglo-Saxon and medieval remains, and
concentrates on a large 8th-century complex of enclosures and buildings,
along with other structures including a large malting oven. It is argued
that this represents the infrastructure of a purpose-built tribute
centre for a royal estate. The character of the material evidence
indicates that wide variety of produce came into complex and was then
redistributed rather than consumed on site. The centre administered
judicial as well as economic affairs. Evidence of the human remains from
an execution site was found - some of it possibly linked to the sudden
demise of the tribute centre at the beginning of the 9th century. In
addition, the evidence of a well-preserved Reduced Ware pottery
manufactory is an indicator of the later role of the area as an
industrial estate of the medieval borough of Higham Ferrers.