Burgstein found in parking lot for trial against Thomas Becket

Pieces of iron ore were found in a car park and may have been part of Northampton Castle, where Thomas Becket was tried.

The objects were discovered at Chalk Lane Car Park in Northampton, which is being converted into a heritage park.

Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was tried at the castle in 1164 for disrespecting royal authority.

He was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, but historians have long debated whether this was done on the orders of King Henry II.

Construction of Northampton Castle began in 1084 under the supervision of the Earl of Northampton, Simon de Senlis.

It was a stronghold of the barons during their war against King John, who handed it over to one of his loyal soldiers after the victory.

It plays a major role in Shakespeare's play King John.

King Charles II had the castle rendered unusable as a defensive structure after it had been used by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.

The remains of the building were demolished to make way for a railway line to Northampton.

The iron ore was found during excavations by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) in preparation for the erection of historical timelines at the site.

It was mixed with bricks and modern ceramics and was located next to the trenches dug by archaeologists in the 1960s.

This suggests that these are remains of rubble that were cleared away by archaeologists during previous excavations over 50 years ago.

The archaeologists also uncovered remains of a post-medieval wall belonging to a house built in the area when the castle ruins still stood.

Dan Lister, cabinet member for local economy at Conservative-controlled West Northamptonshire Council, said: “The council has long had an ambition to redevelop this part of the town and create a heritage park.

“It’s great to work with experts at MOLA to uncover the fascinating history of this part of our city.”

Simon Markus, Project Manager at MOLA, said: “For me, born and raised in Northampton, the opportunity to excavate such an important part of the city’s history is incredible.

“When you see how the area has developed over the centuries, you get a better understanding of the past of the city and the people who lived here.”

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