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HER Number (PRN):00422
Name:North Gate and Barbican of Bridgnorth Castle
Type of Record:Monument
Protected Status:Conservation Area: Bridgnorth

Monument Type(s):

  • BARBICAN (Demolished 1821, Medieval to Early 19th century - 1066 AD to 1821 AD)
  • CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
  • GATE (Demolished 1821, Medieval to Early 19th century - 1066 AD to 1821 AD)

Summary

The barbican was described by Hardwicke before its demolition in 1821 as a square structure 36ft E/W and 38ft N/S, with a central gate passage 17ft high and 20ft 3ins wide. Fragments of this were located in 1935. (ESA458)

Parish:Bridgnorth, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Map Sheet:SO79SW
Grid Reference:SO 7165 9303

Related records

00371Related to: Bridgnorth Castle (Monument)
00374Related to: Medieval Town Defences, Bridgnorth (Monument)
00373Related to: Postern Gate (Site of), Bridgnorth (Monument)
00377Related to: Site of the Barrier Gate, Bridgnorth (Monument)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

  • ESA458 - 1935 Observation of Fragments of the Barbican

Description

The Barbican at the north end of the outer bailey of the castle is first mentioned in 1221, but possibly built 1212 when there is mention of a drawbridge. Watkins-Pitchford considers that the barbican was on the north side of the drawbridge which fronted the main castle gate. The barbican was described by Hardwicke before its demolition in 1821 as a square structure 36ft E/W and 38ft N/S, with a central gate passage 17ft high and 20ft 3ins wide. Fragments of this were located in 1935 <2>

The Norman main gate of the Castle and the barbican were blocked by Leyland's time and a small postern (SA 373) placed beside. Bellet illustrates a Norman arch which he describes as the postern, but it seems more probable that this is in fact the main castle gateway dating from 1102 <3>

The barbican may in fact be identical with the Barrier Gate. (SA 377)<4>

Leland noted about the Castle, c1536-1542, "There is one mighty gate by North in it, now stopped up" <6>
This [arch] was disclosed during building alterations near the site of the Post Office in 1821. It had a magnificent Norman archway but was demolished <7>

CMHTS Record Sheet <8>
CMHTS Report <9>


<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 00422 (Card index). SSA20722.


<01> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Record Card SO79SW6.2 and 7.5 (Card index). SSA1855.


<02> Watkins-Pitchford D W, 1942, Pamphlet entitled Local Government (TEXT). SSA1722.


<03> Bellet G, 1856, Antiquities of Bridgnorth, p25 (illus) (Monograph). SSA1680.


<04> Pee E J, 1976, Comment, 28/09/1976 (VERBAL COMMUNICATION). SSA1856.


<05> Burrow Ian, 1976, Barbican Site, Bridgnorth (Photograph). SSA1857.


<06> Adnitt H W (ed), 1881, The "Itinerary'' of John Leland (Article in serial). SSA10743.


<07> Watkins-Pitchford D W, 1931/ 1932, Bridgnorth Castle and Ethelfleda's tower (Article in serial). SSA1706.


<08> Buteux Victoria, 1993/ 1996, CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Bridgnorth, Bridgnorth 422 (Record form). SSA19965.


<09> Buteux Victoria et al, 1996, Archaeological Assessment of Bridgnorth, Shropshire (CMHTS) (Historic landscape survey report). SSA12066.

Sources

[00]SSA20722 - Card index: Shropshire County Council SMR. Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards. SMR record cards. SMR Card for PRN SA 00422.
[01]SSA1855 - Card index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Record Card SO79SW6.2 and 7.5. Ordnance Survey record cards. SO79SW6.2 and 7.5.
[02]SSA1722 - TEXT: Watkins-Pitchford D W. 1942. Pamphlet entitled Local Government.
[03]SSA1680 - Monograph: Bellet G. 1856. Antiquities of Bridgnorth. p25 (illus).
[04]SSA1856 - VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Pee E J. 1976. Comment, 28/09/1976.
[05]SSA1857 - Photograph: Burrow Ian. 1976. Barbican Site, Bridgnorth. Black and white. 35mm.
[06]SSA10743 - Article in serial: Adnitt H W (ed). 1881. The "Itinerary'' of John Leland. Trans Shropshire Archaeol Hist Soc. Ser 1, Vol IV (=Vol 4). p127-155.
[07]SSA1706 - Article in serial: Watkins-Pitchford D W. 1931/ 1932. Bridgnorth Castle and Ethelfleda's tower. Trans Shropshire Archaeol Hist Soc. Vol 46. p3-12.
[08]SSA19965 - Record form: Buteux Victoria. 1993/ 1996. CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Bridgnorth. Central Marches Historic Towns Survey record form. Vol 2. Bridgnorth 422.
[09]SSA12066 - Historic landscape survey report: Buteux Victoria et al. 1996. Archaeological Assessment of Bridgnorth, Shropshire (CMHTS). Hereford & Worcester CAS Rep. Rep 301.
Date Last Edited:Nov 5 2012 3:35PM

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