Flight from Northampton - J.A. GIles

Extract from

J. A. Giles (1846). The Life and Letters of Thomas à Becket: Now First Gathered from the Contemporary Historians. pp. 263-8.

In late 1164, Northampton Castle was one of the most formidable royal fortresses in England, serving as a primary seat for Henry II. While the castle was largely destroyed in the 19th century to make way for the railway, archaeological records and contemporary accounts of the trial (most notably by William FitzStephen) allow us to reconstruct its layout.

1. The Overall Layout

The castle was a massive stone-and-earthwork complex covering approximately 15 acres on the western edge of the town.

• The Defences: It was protected to the west by the River Nene and on the other three sides by a massive ditch (approximately 90ft wide and 30ft deep).

• The Baileys: The castle was divided into an Inner Bailey (the high-security core) and an Outer Bailey. In 1164, the Inner Bailey contained the primary royal apartments and the Great Hall.

• The Keep: A large stone keep sat on a substantial mound in the Northwest corner, serving as the final defensive point.

2. The Trial Hub: The Great Hall & Chambers

The drama of October 1164 unfolded primarily within a central complex of stone buildings in the Inner Bailey.

• The Great Hall: This was a large, rectangular stone structure where the Barons and Prelates (the Great Council) assembled.

• The Solar (Upper Chamber): Henry II spent much of the trial in the "upper chamber" or solar. This was a more private, prestigious room, likely located on a first floor above or adjacent to the Hall. This separation was symbolic; the King could hear the proceedings below without having to confront Becket directly.

• The Anti-Chamber: On the final day (October 13), Becket sat in a "small inner room" or anti-chamber on the ground floor, clutching his silver processional cross as a shield, while the King’s messengers moved back and forth between him and the King upstairs.

3. Key Structures of 1164

Feature	Location / Significance
The North Gate	The main entrance from the town. Becket entered here each day from St. Andrew's Priory. It was through this gate (or a nearby postern) that he made his midnight escape in the rain.
The Chapel	Likely dedicated to St. George. Henry II was famously hearing Mass here on the first morning when Becket arrived to seek an audience.
The Royal Apartments	Heavily guarded rooms where the King’s inner circle debated whether to charge Becket with treason or embezzlement.
The West Gate	Led toward the river and the West Bridge; used more for service and access to the castle's meadows.

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Becket's Escape 

The Scene on October 13, 1164

If you were standing in the Inner Bailey on the final day of the trial, you would have seen:

1. The Great Hall filled with shouting bishops and nobles.

2. Becket seated defiantly in a side-chamber, refusing to move or give up his cross.

3. The King pacing in the Solar above, communicating via intermediaries because he refused to grant Becket the "kiss of peace."

References

James Craigie Robertson (1859). Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. pp. 131–.

James Craigie Robertson (1859). Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. pp. 133–.

William Holden Hutton (1910)

Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. p. 109-13

Pitman London

http://archive.org/stream/thomasbecketarch00huttuoft#page/109/mode/1up
http://archive.org/stream/thomasbecketarch00huttuoft#page/112/mode/1up
William Holden Hutton (1910). Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons. pp. 109–113.

Kay Brainerd Slocum (January 2004). Liturgies in Honour of Thomas Becket. University of Toronto Press. pp. 42–45. ISBN 978-0-8020-3650-6.

Michael Staunton (7 December 2001). The Lives of Thomas Becket. Manchester University Press. pp. 116–. ISBN 978-0-7190-5455-6. 

Michael Staunton (7 December 2001). The Lives of Thomas Becket. Manchester University Press. pp. 120–. ISBN 978-0-7190-5455-6.