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8th November 2018

It’s Northamptonshire’s oldest town, and can trace its origins back to the middle Stone Age. The Romans named it Lactodorum, but we call it Towcester.

The town’s story evolved around its convenient geographic location, situated on a natural North South transportation route. Fertile level ground, with access to the river Tove meant ancient hunter gatherer peoples settled the area thousands of years ago developing a network of trackways. The Stone Age inhabitants left traces of their lives such as worked flints and tools, and the Iron Age left burials, and archaeological traces of wooden round houses, probably built by the Catuvellauni tribe.

Around 45 AD, invading Romans also recognised the strategic value of the location, and built their fortified garrison town of Lactodorum around the junction of Watling Street, their major transport artery, with the Winchester to Lincoln road.

The displaced Catuvellauni tribe joined Boudicca to fight and defeat Roman forces two miles south of Lactodorum, but the Britons were later defeated by General Suetonius in a bloodbath probably located nearby. Tacitus the Roman historian records that 80,000 Britons were slaughtered, with Roman casualties of only 400. Boudicca was captured, and the Roman domination of Southern England was complete.

Lactodorum seems to have been a thriving town, with bath houses, lodgings and many temples. The church still to be found in the modern town is dedicated to St Lawrence, a popular saint of the Roman military. The church’s origins may well date back to Lactodorum.

Saxon Towcester’s history seems unremarkable until 917 AD when ‘Tofeceastre’ was attacked by an invading Viking Army. The Anglo Saxon Chronicles record the successful defence of the town. Watling Street had effectively became the border between Saxon Wessex and the Danelaw, and an important trading route.

Medieval Towcester became a prosperous focus for travel and trade. The 12th Century saw the building of a defensive motte and bailey to control the area. This has been recently restored with an enjoyable timeline walk spiralling up the Bury Mount. The view from the top gives the 21st Century visitor a feel for the early layout of the town. The prominence of the church of St Lawrence hints at two of its most illustrious incumbents. Towcester’s very own Pope, Boniface VIII, was a former rector, as was William Sponne, probably the greatest benefactor the town has known. Sponne founded the Chantry and the grammar school, and his unusual tomb lies inside the church. His body is represented twice, above, fully clothed as in life, and below as a cadaver covered with a winding cloth.

Towcester’s continued importance as a staging post for travellers contributed to its prosperity throughout the subsequent centuries, waning only with the construction of the motorway network. Famous visitors included Charles Dickens, who mentions the town and it’s hostelries in his writing, and Queen Victoria who called in in 1844. It remains a great place to visit, with welcoming pubs, restaurants and its own Brewery at the old water mill.

For a wonderful walk through Towcester’s history from the Stone Age to the present day I recommend its excellent award winning museum, brilliantly managed by a dedicated volunteer team. There you can discover more about this fascinating slice of Northamptonshire history in imaginative and colourful displays which are designed to appeal to all the family.

For more information about this history of this ancient town, visit www.towcestermuseum.co.uk

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