Monument Type(s):

• BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• TOWN WALL (13th century to 15th century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a bailey of medieval date, a town wall of medieval date. The site is protected by Grade II Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA7590 - 2015 Conservation management survey of the town walls, Shrewsbury, by SCAS

Description

The line of the medieval town wall, projected between two established points: PRN 62516 (Rodney House) to the south; and PRN 62515 to the north (the town wall in the Rigg's Hall excavations). This stretch has not been investigated by UAD field visits but antiquarian sources suggest that it is present in the sub-structures of the standing buildings on the west side of School Gardens. 'Boileau' wrote that the town wall formed the foundation of the back (NW) wall of the Headmaster's House (The Old School House), 'or rather that the house is built on and within the two town walls' [sic ]; he further suggested that the wall ended here at 'a terminal fortification', and that a corbel, 'shaped like a human head' was still visible [<1>]. This account may also be taken to imply the presence of domestic stone structures built within the line of the wall: an implication also present in J A Morris's account of the area. According to Morris, the town wall (the 'outer' wall) formed the back wall of the Head Master's house, with a second wall of red sandstone rubble running the whole length of the house 9 yards (8.2m) inside (SE of) it. In the next property to the south, adjoining Castle Court (nos. 3a and 4 School Gardens: 'Mr Wyley's offices' ), the town wall was said to form a retaining wall to the upper level, and to have been 'very considerably repaired'; the standing buildings were set back from it, but within them was in 'interesting stone-walled cellar about 16 feet square' [<2>]. Fieldwork required <3>

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 3b. The line of the wall behind School Gardens is still marked by terraces on the steep hillside, and a short section forms part of the rear elevation of Rodney House (PRN 62516). <4>

<01> 'Boileau', 1883-Apr-04, Town Wall (Article in serial). SSA10631.

<02> Morris J A, 1909/ 1912, The Town Walls of Shrewsbury (Article in serial). SSA10632.

<03> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis, 17/06/1997 (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<04> Hannaford Hugh R, 2015, Shrewsbury Town Walls: a conservation management plan (2 volumes), Gazetteer 3b (Management report). SSA28223.

Sources

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