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Histories of Northamptonshire

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  • Piece of Northamptonshire ironstone, from Irchester Country Park. © NMAG

    Ironstone

    Northamptonshire’s ironstone was formed from iron-rich sediments in the Jurassic period. Quarried since Roman times, ironstone has shaped our landscape, fuelled the county's industry and built our houses.

    175 million years ago Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Iron Age lead torc © NMAG

    Iron Age Torc

    Lead torc worn around the neck of an Iron Age woman. Found during excavation of a rare human Iron Age burial.

    Iron Age 800 BCE - 43 AD Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Iron Age quern stones - top and bottom stones from Hunsbury Hillfort © NMAG

    Iron Age Rotary Quern

    Rotary quern made from millstone grit used to grind cereals into flour. More than 100 were found at the Iron Age hillfort at Hunsbury Hill.

    Iron Age c. 200 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Iron Age socketed axe made from cast iron © NMAG

    Iron Age Axe Head

    A socketed axe made by casting iron in a mould. It probably reflects the transition from bronze to iron metalworking in the early Iron Age.

    Iron Age 800 - 43 CE Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Iron Age reaping hook - iron blade with bone handle © NMAG

    Iron Age Reaping Hook

    A well preserved reaping hook, on one hand an everyday farming implement, on the other a symbol of prehistoric farming.

    Iron Age 300-150 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Iron Cannonball from battle of Naseby in 1645 © NMAG

    Naseby Cannonball

    Iron cannon ball fired at the Battle of Naseby in 1645, the deciding battle of the First English Civil war.

    Stuart 1645 Stuart to Georgian

  • Reverse (tail) of Iron Age gold stater (coin) © NMAG

    Cunobelin Stater

    A Celtic gold stater minted in the late Iron Age, bearing the name of Cunobelin, ruler of the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes tribes.

    Iron Age 10 - 40 CE Geologic to Prehistoric

  • Large copper ball added to the cast iron Victorian Market Square fountain in Northampton in 1954. © NMAG

    Fountain Ball

    This copper ball was added in the 1950s to the Victorian ornate cast iron fountain installed in the Market Square, Northampton.

    Victorian 1863 Modern

  • One of the eight bronze Roman Bowls found at Irchester in 1874. © NMAG

    Irchester Bowls

    A collection of bronze vessels, known as the Irchester bowls, found in 1874 at the site of Irchester Roman town, near Wellingborough.

    Roman 350 - 399 CE Roman and Early Medieval

  • Solid Roman bronze horse and rider statuette, possibly a votive offering. © NMAG

    Roman Horse and Rider Statuette

    A bronze statuette of a horse and rider. This object is probably a votive or religious object left at the site of a Roman shrine.

    200 - 399 CE Roman and Early Medieval

  • Bronze, enamelled Roman vanity set hung from a chatelaine © NMAG

    Roman Chatelaine

    This astonishingly well preserved example of a chatelaine (collection of personal grooming objects), is a high-status object made to be seen as much as used.

    Roman - first century CE Roman and Early Medieval