Monument Type(s):

• DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• TOWN DEFENCES (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Extramural ditch, associated with the town wall on the north side of Mardol [PRN 62401].

Related records

Associated Finds

• FSA1778 - CAULDRON (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA1777 - FLOOR TILE (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA488 - PLANT MACRO REMAINS (11th century to 15th century - 1066 AD? to 1499 AD?)
• FSA1780 - SHOE (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA1779 - SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA346 - SPOON (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA1776 - TILE (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA1775 - VESSEL (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)

Associated Events

• ESA1307 - 1958-1959 Excavation by P A Barker behind Mardol
• ESA3688 - 1988 observation of standing water marking ditch line NW of Mardol by BUFAU
• ESA4716 - 2000 evaluation of 58-59 Mardol, Shrewbury by Marches Archaeology
• ESA4825 - 2001 Building analysis and WB at 58-59 Mardol, Shrewsbury by Marches Archaeology (Ref: Marches MVS00A)
• ESA5732 - 2003 WB on land to rear of 60 Mardol, Shrewsbury by Marches Archaeology (Ref: Marches MSS03a)
• ESA5742 - 2004 Evaluation at Mardol Gardens, Shrewsbury by Marches Archaeology (Ref: Marches MGS04A)
• ESA7572 - 2015 DBA of The Shrewsbury Hotel, Mardol, Shrewsbury by SCAS
• ESA7590 - 2015 Conservation management survey of the town walls, Shrewsbury, by SCAS

Description

Extramural ditch, associated with the town wall on the north side of Mardol [PRN 62401]. There is no direct physical evidence for this section of ditch, but its existence, as mapped, is supported by three sources.
First, both excavation and documentary evidence demonstrate the existence of an extramural ditch in association with the 13th century defences in various sectors around the town (see, eg PRN 62396, Wyle Cop; PRN 62528, Meadow Place); the existence of the wall in this [ie Mardol] area has been established by excavation [PRN 62400].
Second, the character of the waterlogged strata excavated immediately outside the wall by Barker in this area had the character of ditch fills.
Thirdly, observation of successive floodwater-holding hollows crossing the passages north of Mardol, equidistant from the frontage and consistent with an immediately extramural position, suggests the presence of subsidence into a linear feature on the suggested line. Such a feature would be likely to contain further waterlogged and artefact-rich deposits of the type excavated by Barker [<1>] <2>

Archaeological work on 58-59 Mardol revealed extensive tipping layers considered by the excavators to indicate the presence of the ditch at a lower level <3>

Further to the evaluation (<3>), a watching brief was carried out on external works at 58-59 Mardol, as well as internal works in association with stabilisation of the building. The ditch was not encountered with works not penetrating to that level. <4>

The presence of a ditch remains unproven. If there was one, it would have been filled in by the 15th century, at which time medieval occupation was expanding across the town wall. An evaluation of Mardol Gardens in 2004 put a trench across the postulated ditch line. The excavators found stratified deposits of 17th century date, and inferred that deposits of earlier date could well survive at greater depth <5>

A watching brief in 2003, which located the top of the town wall behind 60 Mardol, saw no sign of the ditch. However, the excavators implied that it might be present at a lower level, the groundworks not having penetrated very deep. <6>

The town ditch is thought to cause a dip in King's Head Passage that crosses the line of the ditch. <7>

A conservation management plan was prepared in 2015 for the entire circuit of town walls surrounding Shrewsbury (excluding around Shrewsbury Castle at the NE corner). This provides a general historic overview of the development of the town defences, together with detailed analysis and management recommendations for individual sections (in gazetteer form in volume 2). This stretch is identified as 5g. <8>

<01> Barker Philip A, 1960, Excavations on the Town Wall, Roushill (Article in serial). SSA10372.

<02> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis, 22/01/1997 (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<03> Stone Richard, 2000, 58-59 Mardol, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: a Report on an evaluation excavation and building assessment (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA20384.

<04> Stone Richard, 2001, 58-59 Mardol, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: a Report on a Programme of Archaeological Works (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA20837.

<05> Wainwright Jo, 2004, Mardol Gardens, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: a report on an archaeological evaluation (Excavation report). SSA21905.

<06> Nash A F, 2004, Land at the rear of 60 Mardol, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: a report on a watching brief (Watching brief report). SSA21615.

<07> Hannaford Hugh R, 2015, The Shrewsbury Hotel, Mardol, Shrewsbury 2015, p.11 (Deskbased survey report). SSA28195.

<08> Hannaford Hugh R, 2015, Shrewsbury Town Walls: a conservation management plan (2 volumes), Gazetteer 5g (Management report). SSA28223.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.