The village is famous for the remains of an English Heritage Scheduled Ancient Monument, a Norman Castle, known locally as "The Mount",[3] which was the subject of an investigation by the Channel 4 programme Time Team.

Alderton is on the southern ridge of the valley of the River Tove which flows east between the village and Stoke Bruerne to the north.

[3] Later the Romans built major roads including Watling Street, the A5, only 0.5 miles (0.8 km) southwest of the village.

Twenty years later, the Domesday Book entry for Alderton shows the name as "Aldrintone" and the Earl of Ferrers as the local lord and lists land for 8 ploughs.

The village population grew in the latter half of the 16th century with the arrival of William Gorges, a nobleman from a distinguished aristocratic line.

Through the marriage of Gorges' daughter Frances to Thomas Hesilrige, the Manor House passed to the Heselrige family.

The castle and Manor of Alderton were sold by Thomas le Sauvage to Pagan de Chaworth during the reign of Edward I.

During the first English Civil War there were a number of engagements in the vicinity, most notably the siege and eventual destruction of Grafton Manor House in 1644.

During the Victorian era the castle appears to have been a popular picnic spot, judging by the recent porcelain and glass finds.

In 1998 Derek Batten, a resident of the neighbouring village of Paulerspury and former County Councillor, purchased the castle site.

As The Mount is a scheduled ancient monument, ordinarily Channel 4's archaeological television programme Time Team would not have been given permission to excavate the site.

Because so little is known about it, however – and about this type of castle in general – English Heritage did on this occasion grant permission for a dig in three specific areas.

The aim, according to Glyn Coppack, the English Heritage inspector with responsibility for the excavation, was to obtain 'the maximum amount of information for the minimum disturbance of the site'.