Archaeologists Uncover 17th-Century House Linked to Isaac Newton Near Woolsthorpe Manor
National Trust excavation near the famed 'apple tree' finds domestic artifacts tied to the family of Newton's mother
British archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a 17th-century house tied to the family of Isaac Newton’s mother on land adjacent to Woolsthorpe Manor, the National Trust announced. The discovery yielded everyday objects that researchers say offer new insight into domestic life around the time Newton lived at the nearby manor.
Excavators recovered thimbles, a needle fragment, buttons, animal bones with butchery marks, fragments of Staffordshire slipware tableware, a Bellarmine jug and a jetton — a token used in gaming — among rubble believed to be from the house’s demolition. The National Trust said the assemblage “might have been in the house when the Newton family was there.”
The house is thought to have belonged to Hannah Ayscough, Newton’s mother. After the death of her first husband, Ayscough left her son Isaac to be raised by his grandparents when she remarried; following the death of her second husband she arranged for a house to be built next to Woolsthorpe Manor and lived there with children from her second marriage, the National Trust said.
Allan King, communications manager for the National Trust, said Newton did not live in the discovered house but that it stood very close to Woolsthorpe Manor, where Newton was born and raised. “It would be expected that he would have visited frequently and likely shared family meals there,” King said.
Archaeologists believe the house was destroyed by fire in the early 1800s and only now have located its footprint after five years of preparatory work. The National Trust acquired the field next to Woolsthorpe Manor in 2020 and, drawing on a 1797 sketch by J.C. Barrow and survey work by the South Witham Archaeology Group and the University of Leicester, conducted a formal excavation that revealed demolition rubble and the recovered finds.
National Trust archaeologist Rosalind Buck described the objects as “a real window into the domestic life of the Newton family.” She noted that the pottery and the jug allow historians to picture everyday activities such as eating, sewing and gaming taking place close to the manor.
The site’s proximity to the famed apple tree at Woolsthorpe Manor adds cultural resonance to the find. Newton famously left Cambridge in 1665 during the Great Plague; local legend holds that he formulated aspects of his theory of gravity after observing an apple fall from a tree on the property. The original tree blew down in the early 19th century and a replacement was planted at the same spot in 1820; that tree still stands at the National Trust property.
The National Trust said there are no immediate plans for further excavation of the field, although researchers have not ruled out additional work in future seasons. The artifacts recovered from the dig are slated to go on display next year at Woolsthorpe Manor, where they will join other material related to Newton’s life and work.
Archaeologists emphasized that, while the objects are domestic in nature and do not directly illuminate Newton’s scientific activity, they contribute to a fuller understanding of the social and family environment that surrounded him during pivotal years. The recovery of gaming pieces and household items helps place everyday practices alongside the more widely remembered story of Newton’s scientific achievements.
The dig represents a collaboration between the National Trust, volunteer archaeologists and academic partners and is part of a broader effort to investigate and interpret the landscapes surrounding some of Britain’s heritage properties. The organization said the discovery will inform future interpretation of Woolsthorpe Manor and the lives of those who lived and worked on the estate in the 17th and 18th centuries.
