HER 400 DESCRIPTION:- Scheduled Monument Description:- Not Available The wide town wall has been observed at various places around the circuit of the defences. This record is also used on the mapping to represent the projected line of the town wall. W St Clair Baddeley in his Presidential Address to members of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club suggested that the town walls were only built after Diocletian's division of Britain into give at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century when the town was the second largest in Britain. {Source Work 10134.} 1912 - A visitation to the site of the Roman wall remains in the Abbey grounds in 1912 by Helena Cripps resulted in her remarks in a letter to Haverfield stating that, compared with the description of the remains by Sir A. Church in 1878 (TBGAS paper), "there is not as much left as I thought". {Source Work 8695 & 8729.} NGR 402037 202286 1917 - A conjectural statement made by Beecham in a letter, dating 24/9/1917, to Sewell suggests "the stream, which runs at the back of house in Thomas Street and thence along Spitalgate to the hospital gate was the moat outside the wall". {Source Work 8695.} NGR 403059 201699 1917 - A conjectural statement made by Beecham in a letter, in 1917, to Sewell notes "the foundation of the Roman wall was also found close to the west abutment of the bridge over the Beeches Road". {Source Work 8695.} NGR 402618 202323 - 402689 202267 1921 - Depicted on the 1921 25 inch and first edition 1880's Ordnance Survey map is the 'City Wall (remains of)' that are located slightly north of the archaeological excavations in the Abbey grounds. The wall is illustrated by a hashured long mound extending towards the known sections of the town wall. It is not known whether this is a narrow or wide section of the Roman town wall. {Source Work 5138 & 8695.} NGR 403180 201301 - 403177 201297 1952 - DM Rennie supervised the excavation of a trench eight feet (c. 2.4 meters) wide and c. 40 feet (c. 12.1 meters) long through the Roman defences at Watermoor Recreation Ground, Cirencester between the 4th February and 15th March 1952. In order to build the wall, a trench 12 feet (c. 3.7 meters) wide had been dug down to the top of the natural gravel and had been filled with stone and gravelly mortar. On top of this had been laid a course of undressed stones and above this, there was a course of roughly squared limestone blocks. The whole facing of the wall was found to have collapsed outwards. No evidence for the destruction of the wall was found although a robber trench was located in the back of the wall indicating how it had been destructed. A very large stone in this trench (which seems too large to have been robbed) was faced and may indicate that the back of the wall was also faced. {Source Work 4015.} NGR 402804 202113 - 402805 202111 1960 - In 1960, JS Wacher excavated a complete section through the north-eastern town defences in the Abbey Grounds (Site AB). The superstructure of the town wall was entirely robbed out in this section. The full width of the robber trench was 4 meters and with its vertical sides must closely represent the original width of the wall itself at foundation level. {Source Work 4926.} 1962 - In 1962, a trench was dug through a section of the south-eastern defences of Roman Corinium revealing a stone-built wall (SMR 400) and early ramparts (SMR 28630). The excavation was restricted to the rear of the rampart because of a public footpath. The excavation revealed that the stone built wall had been inserted into the front of the pre-existing rampart of clay and gravel. There was evidence for at least one wide, shallow ditch associated with the early rampart. {Source Work 476 & 3775.} NGR 402688 201202 - 402527 201335 1963 - In 1963, a number of trenches were dug across the expect line the south-western town wall and fortification at Watermoor Hospital (Site AW). Three trenches (AWI, AWIII & AWIV) were excavated across the town wall Much of the stone wall material has been robbed; only in trench AWI do parts of the foundation survive. The stones are slabs pitched herring-bone fashion, 0.4 meters deep and sit on the surface of undisturbed bed-rock; they are 4.1 meters wide. {Source Work 4926 & 858.} 1965 - In 1965, a long trench was laid out in the Abbey Grounds, Cirencester, to the south of Spitalgate Lane, with the intension of intercepting the projecting wall. In total three trenches were dug. Trench BQI, 35 meters long, was dug at a 90° angle to the line of the wall; it immediately revealed remnants of the defensive circuit at only 0.6 meters below ground level. Further trenches (BQI-II) revealed evidence for an internal and external tower. Another trench dug 30 meters to the west of the first also found the wall. {Source Work 4926, 476 & 3772.} NGR 403094 201227 - 403090 201225 1966 - In 1966, a summer excavation by Cirencester Excavation Committee of the southern defences of Corinium (Site CB) revealed a heavily robbed stone wall. Sufficient evidence remained to show that it had been 10 feet (c. 3 meters) wide. {Source Work 3773.} 1966 - In 1966, after recognition in 1965 during the stripping of turf and topsoil from the north-east defences, an excavation took place that exposed the top of the wall and an internal tower. A number of trenches were laid out to cover the width of the wall and rampart. {Source Work 476, 3773, 8695 & 4926.} 1966 - In 1966, a summer excavation of the southern defences of Corinium revealed a heavily robbed stone wall. Sufficient evidence remained to show that the wall had been 10 feet (c. 3 meters) wide. {Source Work 476 & 3773.} Both the rampart (SMR 28630) and the town wall (SMR 400) were observed to some degree. The rampart was probably the primary rampart through which the wall was subsequently dug. {Source Work 4926.} 1967 - Confirmation of the alignment of the north-western town wall by finding the back edge of the robber trench and the front edge of the rampart in its expected position in a garden at the Memorial Hospital. This was positioned c. 400 feet (c. 122 meters) to the south of the section in the station yard. {Source Work 476 & 3774.} 1967 - During construction of an access road at Watermoor by Mr. Harry Pitts, a section of the south-eastern defences including the wall (SMR 400), ramparts and possible external towers (SMR 28644) were uncovered. The work involved the stripping of an area, c. 1 meter in depth, which extended from the bridge over the river Churn to the site of a new bungalow (The Hatches), over a distance of 100 meters. Cirencester Excavation Committee recorded the material uncovered by the stripping. Six trenches were dug; trench CDI exposed three faced courses of the wall and possibly two external towers. {Source Work 4926.} NGR 402047 201851 - 402039 201891 1967 - In 1967, excavations took place in the grounds of the old railway station yard in advance of proposed development (Site CF). The area of investigation included the area between Tetbury Road to the north-west and Quern Lane to the south-east. The excavation of six trial trenches revealed evidence for the town wall and rampart. Archaeological deposits were encountered at depths of only c.0.6m. All the trenches produced some evidence for the defences. {Source Work 4926 & 3774.} NGR 402064 201790 - 402065 201794 1967 - In 1967, the alignment of the north-western town wall was verified by finding the back edge of the robber trench and the front edge of the rampart in its expected position in a garden at the Memorial Hospital. This was positioned c. 400 feet (c. 122 meters) to the south of the section in the station yard. {Source Work 476 & 3774.} The entire width of the wide wall is represented by a robber trench (3.65 meters wide), which was noted during excavations at the Memorial Hospital gardens. {Source Work 4926 & 3774.} 1967 - Excavations at The Sand, Watermoor, Cirencester, followed earlier trial trenching in 1966. Excavations by Cirencester Excavation Committee revealed evidence for the military defences at the area known as The Sands, Watermoor. {Source Work 476, 3774 & 5673.} NGR 402726 202232 - 402731 202222 1967-8 - In 1967-8, a stretch of the north-east defences, including the bastion and internal tower, were exposed and consolidated by the then Ministry of Public Buildings and Works. Prior to restoration work of this part of the wall, a programme of investigation was carried out, supervised by Miss. P. Cullen. During this archaeological work, approximately 50 meters of the wall face at ground level was exposed by machine. {Source Work 3670.} NGR 402849 201159 1971 - 'Line of the Roman Town defences to the west of the Silchester Gate was established by trial trenching in 1971 and the wall shown to be atleast four feet thick.' {Source Work 8695.} 1990 - Cotswold Archaeological Trust was commissioned by English Heritage and Cirencester Town Council to survey the upstanding exposed section of the town wall in the Abbey Grounds. The work recorded the earthwork defences, an internal stone tower, the wall at both wide and narrow gauge, two external bastions, and information relating to the ditch system. {Source Work 9501.} NGR 402837 202057 1990 - Modern watching brief at 2 Corinium Gate, Cirencester undertaken by Cotswold Archaeological Trust in July 1990. The depth of the foundation trench was not enough to uncover any of the deeply stratified remains of the Roman town wall and Verulamium Gate. {Source Work 9499.} NGR 402118 201590 - 402086 201711 1994 - The line of the robbed-out Roman town wall and associated ditches were located in trench 1 of the excavation evaluation that took place at the former TRW offices site, in 1994. Only the rough limestone footings of the wall remain, situated in a clay matrix. The backfill of a robber-trench, that removed most of the stonewall, contained Roman pottery possibly from the rampart when it was used to fill the robber trench. {Source Work 4191.} 1995 - Additional field evaluation was undertaken at the site of the former TRW building, Hammond Way, Cirencester. The work identified the Roman town rampart and robbed out town wall.{Source Work 5118.} NGR 402757 202188 - 402758 202186 1999 - An evaluation excavation at 18 Corinium Gate, in 1999, revealed, within test pit one, a layer 0.10m below modern ground level that was 0.8m thick and may either represent an intact Roman rampart layer or part of the inner core of the town wall. It is unclear from this evaluation whether the Roman town wall survives or was robbed out.{Source Work 5087.} NGR 402612 201268 2000 - Evidence for the Roman town wall was found during a watching brief for an extension to Watermoor Family Centre at Watermoor School, Watermoor Road, Cirencester (SMR 30692). The feature was observed in post hole 27, at the above grid reference, during the works in 2000. {Source Work 5753.} 2000 - An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service between 17/03/2000 and 18/04/2000 in connection with the construction of an extension to a temporary building. The Roman town wall (SMR 400) and rampart (SMR 28629) was located 0.18m below present ground level at 107.31. The postholes excavated here were found to contain Roman tile, pottery, limestone, charcoal, animal bone, oyster shell and ceramic building material. {Source Work 5753.} NGR 402439 201463 2001 - Cotswold Archaeology undertook a watching brief and an excavation between July 2001 and June 2002 prior to the redevelopment and and extension of the Cotswold District Council Offices. This work had followed on from a desk-based assessment and three field evaluations. The site lay within the projected alignment of the Roman town wall and part of the site had been designated as a notification area of Scheduled Ancient Monument GC361. The results of the fieldwork found that the defences were slightly further north-east that had originally been thought {Source Work 8138.} NGR 402709 201199 2003 - An evaluation excavation was carried out by Cotswold Archaeology in October 2003. 16 trenches were dug out in land off School Lane and Stepstairs Lane. The clearest evidence for the town wall was observed in trench 6, where the pitched stone footing was consistant with a previously observed surviving wall footing at Trinity Road. 2008 - South Cotswolds NMP (SP 02735 02200) Part of the Roman town wall of Cirencester or Corinium Dobunnorum is visible as an earthwork and subsequently as a structure on aerial photographs. The town wall comprises a single linear earthwork mound on aerial photographs taken in 1952. It is visible partially as earthworks and partially as a structure on aerial photographs taken in 1968 and 1975. The wall is visible as an extant structure with an attached internal tower and an external bastion on aerial photographs taken in 1980 and 1990. The earthwork bank in 1952 measures 124 metres in length and 17 metres wide, and is oriented NNW-SSE. This bank is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey Map, and appears on subsequent editions. The aerial photographs from 1968 and 1975 show the town wall under excavation, with fresh spoil heaps particularly visible on the 1975 photographs. The town wall is visible as a stonework structure on the aerial photographs taken in 1980 and 1990 measures 45 metres long by between 2.5 and 3.5 metres wide. It disappears into tree cover towards the north, and so is likely to extend further. The internal tower or bastion is defined by a low upstanding wall and measures approximately 8 metres NNW-SSE and 4 metres NNE-SSW, and is conjoined to the interior of the wall. The external tower or bastion is defined by a paved area, measuring 7 metres NNE-SSW and 5 metres NNW-SSE. {Source Work 4249.} 2012 - (402803 202108) A watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during the construction of two extensions and associated hard paving, at 10 Corinium Gate, Cirencester. Probable Roman rampart layers, associated with the defensive circuit exposed previously during the evaluation of the site and at 18 Corinium Gate, were revealed directly beneath modern deposits. A small segment of in situ limestone surface or wall was also exposed. This may be the remains of a possible Ascensus or stone covering at the rear of the rampart. Alternatively it may form part of a possible internal tower, similar to that seen c. 130m to the north-west within the ‘Abbey Grounds’. No further significant archaeological finds or deposits were recorded. {Source Work 12067.} NGR 402372 202478 Professor Buckman wrote (in 1851) that many people recollected having seen 'massive stone walls' adjacent to the 'Hospital Gate.' This was the northeast angle of the town. Baddeley probed banks of stream here in the summer of 1921 but did not find traces of masonry. {Source Work 8740.} NGR 402002 202136 Beecham, in a letter to Sewell, said "the wall [town wall] was also found at the foot of Cecily Hill" This "bought the line up to the western angle bend northwards inside the stream past Monmouth House and through Mrs. Wilfred Cripps property to Spitalgate." {Source Work 8695 & 8729.} NGR 402719 202240 - 402720 202222 Excavations in the Abbey Grounds (Site ACI) revealed the multistage construction of the wide wall. The wall had survived much of the robbing observed elsewhere around the circuit and it still stood to a height of 2 meters above the foundations at the front. The width of the superstructure stood at 3 meters but a chamfered plinth at the front caused a reduction in width of 76 mm above it. Ten courses of masonry survived in the rear of the wall. The multiple stage construction is now postulated to represent possible narrow to wide wall phases. {Source Work 4926.} NGR 402651 201247 The Cirencester Urban Assessment Project records: 'Part of town wall visible through floorboards. Wall 1.30m high, 2.5m long and 1.5m thick' at No. 5 School Lane, Cirencester {Source Work 8695.}. NGR 402433 201464 Baddeley describes stones in the garden wall of the Cirencester workhouse (SMR 30909): 'over 400 anciently dressed and squared stones, which have been re-used in it [the wall] when built about a century ago... measuring 2-3.5 feet thick... probably remains of ancient town walling.' {Source Work 8695.} This could suggest that part of the Roman town wall was reused to make the workhouse wall. "Part of the Roman town wall of Cirencester or Corinium Dobunnorum is visible as an earthwork and subsequently as a structure on aerial photographs. The site as a whole is centred on SP 0274 0220. The town wall comprises a single linear earthwork mound on aerial photographs taken in 1952, which extends between SP 0277 0215 and SP 0270 0225. It is visible partially as earthworks and partially as a structure on aerial photographs taken in 1968 and 1975. The wall is visible as an extant structure with an attached internal tower and an external bastion on aerial photographs taken in 1980 and 1990, and extends between SP 0275 0219 and SP 0278 0222. The earthwork bank in 1952 measures 124 metres in length and 17 metres wide, and is oriented NNW-SSE. This bank is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey Map, and appears on subsequent editions. This mound may be Medieval or Post Medieval. The aerial photographs from 1968 and 1975 show the town wall under excavation, with fresh spoil heaps particularly visible on the 1975 photographs. The town wall is visible as a stonework structure on the aerial photographs taken in 1980 and 1990 measures 45 metres long by between 2.5 and 3.5 metres wide. It disappears into tree cover towards the north, and so is likely to extend further. The internal tower or bastion is defined by a low upstanding wall and measures approximately 8 metres NNW-SSE and 4 metres NNE-SSW, and is conjoined to the interior of the wall. It is centred on SP 0273 0222. The external tower or bastion is defined by a paved area, measuring 7 metres NNE-SSW and 5 metres NNW-SSE. It is centred on SP 0274 0221 (1-6)." {Source Work 4249.} |