More information : [Name SP 735 608]. ST.JAMES'S ABBEY [GT] (Site of) (1)
St.James Abbey of Augustinian Canon, Northampton, was founded c.1150, and was probably for at least thirteen canons, the income in 1291 being about #68. The abbey was suppressed in 1538 the net income in 1535 being #213. (2)
A small portion of the wall of St.James Abbey was still visible in 1906, on the Weedon Road, near the spot where the Duston and Upton roads divide. The tithe barn was still standing well into the 17th century and was described as being supported with 12 buttresses, with two large porches on the south side.
An encaustic tile, charged with the emblems of St.James, was found on the site. (3)
The fragment of wall of St.James' Abbey was entirely demolished in 1927. (4)
The site is now covered by a housing estate. (5)
Site of Augustinian Abbey (probably centred on c. SP736607).
Baker quotes a deed of enfeoffment of 1637, when the estate passed from the Giffard family, describing a `mansion house called St James near Northampton, lately new built upon the ground sometime belong to the late dissolved abbey...of St James...together with the great barn called the abbey barn, with the water-mill mill-houses, malt-floors, dove-houses, and out-houses thereto belonging...'. Lee writing in 1715 describes the barn as `one of the greatest and stateliest barns of England. It had brave stone walls, it was covered with excellent timber and well slated and on the North side by the road there were two porches very large to enter into the barn or carry grain.
`Abbey Land', presumably the extent of the abbey precinct, is marked on a map of 1722. Just to the E. of the junction of Weedon Road with Duston Road and lying S. of the Weedon road used to be situated `Fairy Close', and adjoining it ot the W. `Churchyard Close' probably to be identified as site of St Margaret's Chapel Bridges states that a barn and dove-house stood in the close where St James's fair was held and that this was also thought to be the site of the abbey itself. It seems unlikely that the main abbey buildings were situated either in Churchyard Close, at the extreme N.W. of the abbey precinct, or in the area where the fair was held, which was presumably open ground in medieval times; a location a little to the E. at c. SP 736607 is perhaps more probable. (6) |