Monument Type(s):

• TOWN WALL (13th century to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1200 AD to 1913 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a town wall of medieval to post medieval date.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA6350 - 1999 DBA and site visit of the gradient east of Dogpole, Shrewsbury by Nigel Baker

Description

General number for the line of the medieval town wall between the back of the Stone House, St Mary's Place (PRN 62484) and the brick-lined ramp through the wall-line to the south (PRN 62548). Its general line is clear enough from the Burghley Map of c.1575 and Speed's Map of 1610. The problem is that none of the recorded masonry exposures associated with it have the characteristics of the 13th-century wall first defined by Barker and seen on the west side of town (e.g. PRN 62361): i.e. the presence of a chamfered plinth, construction with Keele Beds throughout, and small block sizes of generally squarish proportions. Some of the exposures, like PRN 60274, may relate to genuine town wall fabric, though belonging to a post-13th century phase of work; however, the undoubted 19th-century date of at least part of the 'town wall' to the south (PRN 62581), and the probable post-medieval date of the terrace wall PRN 62546, give cause for concern. No complete sections through the wall-line and any derivative terraces have yet been excavated here. For further details, see the monuments cross-referenced above <1>

An assessment was undertaken of the southern stretch of the wall at the top retainining wall along the western edge of the gradient rear of Dogpole was carried out in 1999. It is described here as obviously of several different periods of construction. One section of the wall, to the S, was investigated by trenching in the early 1970s (see PRN 60275). This length of the wall is set somewhat back from the adjoining stetch of wall to the south (PRN 62581). <2>

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 section is identified as 15. It runs north from the northeast corner of the Newport Place development (PRN 62548) behind the Parade Shopping Centre (formerly the Royal Shrewsbury Infirmary) and the car park for Watergate Mansions (formerly the Nurses Home). This section of the wall ends at the site of the St Mary’s Water Lane upper gate (PRN 01445). <3>

<01> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<02> Baker Nigel J, 1999, An archaeological appraisal of the gradient east of Dogpole, Shrewsbury (Deskbased survey report). SSA23402.

Sources

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