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Summary - not yet available

Monument Types

• OCCUPATION SITE (Late Saxon to Medieval - 870 AD to 1500 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)

Associated Events

• Recording of the outer bank of Hertford Castle, 12-14 Parliament Square, Hertford, 1978

Full description

Until the 17th century this position was occupied by the double ditch of the Castle. Infilling of ditches allowed construction of houses on the street front. Excavation revealed a second ditch dug in 1171, the spoil used to elevate the Castle wall; and early medieval occupation which predates the castle. The pottery was residual, and includes Stamford ware, St Neots ware and 'a hard red-black sandy fabric with a grey core' <3>.
In 1978 construction work at the rear of 12-14 Parliament Square revealed a small section of the Castle bank. 'It was apparent that the upper part of the exposed area was composed mainly of fairly late disturbances; the surviving portion of the original bank was at a much lower level and the make-up of it was quite distinct. Much consolidated rubble had been piled against the lowest part of the bank and it was not possible to examine this. There were no finds from the bank itself, but much charcoal flecking and some small fragments of bone were noted' <4>.

<1> Petchey, M R, 1977, Excavations in Hertford 1973-4; Herts Archaeology 5, 157-75, - p163-5 (Article in serial). SHT6790.

<2> Plans in Hertford Museum, ER85 (Graphic material). SHT4719.

<3> Turner-Rugg, Alison, 1993, Medieval pottery in Hertfordshire: a gazetteer of the principal collections; Herts Archaeology 11, 30-53, - p39 (Article in serial). SHT583.

<4> East Hertfordshire Archaeological Group, 1978, (Recording of the east bank of) Hertford Castle, Section drawing and note (Unpublished document). SHT7669.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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