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Anglo-Saxon Stone

Carved with typically Anglo-Scandinavian interlace, this stone was found reused in the Norman church of St Peters and may indicate an earlier 10th century church.

Anglo-Saxon 10th century (900s) Roman and Early Medieval

Northampton Castle Stone

This carved piece of sandstone comes from Northampton Castle, one of the most significant castles in medieval England.

Norman 11th century Medieval to Tudor

Mesolithic Flint Microlith

Flint microlith - small stone tool made and used by nomadic hunters gatherers living in the Nene Valley during the Middle Stone Age.

Mesolithic c. 9600 - 4000 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

Inscribed Roman Tile with Magical Symbols

An inscribed stone tile found at Towcester dates to the Roman period. The symbols are not Latin or Greek but may be magical symbols.

Roman 43 - 410 CE Roman and Early Medieval

Eleanor Cross

This 13th century fragment of carved stone comes from the medieval cross located near Delapré Abbey, one of just three surviving Eleanor Crosses.

Medieval 1291 - 1295 Medieval to Tudor

Neolithic Adze

With the start of Neolithic farming came new stone tools. This adze is of a type and stone more commonly found in Denmark.

Neolithic 4,100 - 2,500 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

Palaeolithic Lyngby Axe

The only example of a Lyngby axe found in Britain, this multi-purpose tool was used by people in the Upper Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age).

Upper Palaeolithic c. 10,000 years ago Geologic to Prehistoric

Bradlaugh Riot Cobblestone

Cobblestone from the Market Square, Northampton thrown during the Bradlaugh Riots of 1874.

Victorian 1874 Modern

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

Dinosaur Footprint

This 166-million-year-old dinosaur footprint cast, found in Irchester, is Northamptonshire’s first dinosaur evidence, likely made by a Megalosaurus

166 million years ago Geologic to Prehistoric

Thorpe (Neolithic) Axe

The Thorpe axe, named after the finder of the Axe in the inter-war years, is a large neolithic flint axe found in Higham Ferrers.

Neolithic 4,100 - 2,500 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

Dressed Northamptonshire Sandstone

A small piece of sandstone quarried and dressed for use in the modern repairs to the 16th century Manor House in Great Doddington.

1999 Modern

Jurassic Fossil Kallirhynchia sharpi

168 million years ago, Northamptonshire lay beneath a warm sea teeming with marine life, including this fossil brachiopod Kallirhynchia sharpi.

168 million years ago Geologic to Prehistoric

Screw Pine Fossil

This screw pine fossil is a rare type specimen. Parts of Jurassic Northamptonshire were submerged in a shallow warm sea and tropical plants thrived on the nearby land.

168 million years ago Geologic to Prehistoric

Bronze Age Flint Dagger

This flint dagger was found in a male burial in a barrow along with other grave goods. It had never been used so may have been an ornamental or ritual piece.

Early Bronze Age 3300 - 2100 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric