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. The site is protected by Grade II* Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5781 - 2003 assessment of the Guildhall site by Richard K Morriss
• ESA6350 - 1999 DBA and site visit of the gradient east of Dogpole, Shrewsbury by Nigel Baker
• ESA7590 - 2015 Conservation management survey of the town walls, Shrewsbury, by SCAS

Description

The town wall, south from ramp 62548 to its junction with the wall line 62446 at the rear of the Wyle Cop plots. Investigated by Martin Carver's team in 1974 at site 60275, which demonstrated that, at that point, the visible sandstone retaining wall was 19th-century in date. Various builds are however apparent in this section of the wall and not all of it need be of that date: the fabric requires investigation and recording. There is no doubt that the standing wall is on the line of the medieval town wall, or not far from it, as this is clearly seen in the Burghley Map of c.1575, and on Speed's map of 1610. Within this section may be the site of the medieval Yrkeslode postern (estimated location at SJ 4942 1245), corresponding with the depiction on the Burghley Map of a postern at the end of a cul-de-sac leading east off Dogpole more or less on the Guildhall site. See constituent site PRN 60275 and cross-referenced monuments for further information <1>

An assessment of the Guildhall part of the wall was carried out in 2003. There is documentary evidence from the period of wall construction in the mid 13th century that in this area the medieval town wall cut through existing plot boundaries [see PRN 08367, 08393]. The principal documentary reference is from 1265, but it is likely that much of the work on this part of the wall, or at least on that part just to the north to which the Dominican Friary linked its precinct wall in c1242, had already been completed, for the Friars were granted left over stone. ->

-> A visual inspection of part of this length of wall was carried out as part of the Guildhall site assessment, which concluded that the visible wall is probably not on the exact line of the town wall for at least part of its length. Three distinct wall sections were identified between 19 Dogpole and the ramped passageway formerly belonging to 1 St Mary's Court [PRN 62548]. ->

-> The southernmost section examined (19 Dogpole) is described in the report as built of red sandstone topped with a wall of possibly 18th century bricks. The sandstone component is considered by the surveyor as likely to be of 16th century date, older than the rest of the examined sections, and possibly a refacing or rebuild of the medieval wall. This section contains a blocked doorway [PRN 01447] and culvert mouth [PRN 01465]. ->

-> A distinct vertical construction break is described between this section of the wall and the next, which runs as far as the obvious kink opposite the old Guildhall, formerly a garden boundary. This section of the wall is of grey sandstone, probably from Grinshill, and is described as a probable post medieval rebuild (or possibly refacing) of the town wall as a garden revetment. It contains a doorway leading to steps up to the garden (probably early 19th century in date). ->

-> The most northerly section examined runs from the kink as far as the ramped passageway [PRN 62548]. Here, two wall lines were identified, the more obvious upstanding one, stepped back from the southern sections, being a probable post medieval garden revetment build. A couple of metres to the east, a lower section of wall continues on the alignment of the southern sections and forms the revetment wall for a narrow terrace. It is virtually invisible because of the overgrowth but seems to be of similar material to the section further south, and is the more likely of the two walls to be on the original town wall line. Maps in the report suggest the alternative wall line. <2>

An assessment was undertaken of the northern stretch of the wall at the top retainining wall along the western edge of the gradient rear of Dogpole in 1999. It is described here as predominantly of red sandstone construction, some heavily weathered. No firm dating evidence is available for this section, though at its southern end, adjacent to the party wall with the Old House property, is a blocked doorway at a high level (PRN 01447) and a substantial primary butress with a battered or sloping top; this closely resembles butresses on sections of the town wall at Beeches Lane (PRN 01446) and Smithfield Road (PRN 62524). This section of wall also contains the plain rectangular doorway opening into a brick-lined tunnel (PRN 01465) discovered in 1891 and traced for 130 feet to a point close to the Guildhall (Newport House). <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 14, a section of defenses comprising lengths of mainly red sandstone terrace walls that run along the rear of the properties on the east side of Dogpole from the site of Miss Humphrey's Tower (PRN 62447) to the edge of the Parade Shopping Centre (formerly the site of the Royal Shrewsbury Infirmary). The wall here is thought to be of post-medieval date but probably follows the general line of the medieval defences, and its foundations may in places rest on the remains of the medieval wall. <4>

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

<02> Morriss Richard K, 2004, The Guildhall site Shrewsbury: an archaeological desk-top assessment and outline field evaluation, p7,p11-14 (Field survey report). SSA21975.

<03> Baker Nigel J, 1999, An archaeological appraisal of the gradient east of Dogpole, Shrewsbury (Deskbased survey report). SSA23402.

<04> Hannaford Hugh R, 2015, Shrewsbury Town Walls: a conservation management plan (2 volumes), Gazetteer 14 (Management report). SSA28223.

Sources

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