Monument Type(s):

• TOWN WALL (13th century to 15th century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a town wall of medieval date. This section icorporates Wingfields Tower, the only surviving mural tower of the defences (PRN 10618). A 9m length adjoining the southeast wall of the tower is Scheduled.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA1314 - 1987 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA7590 - 2015 Conservation management survey of the town walls, Shrewsbury, by SCAS
• ESA7591 - 2015 photogrammetric survey of Shrewsbury's Town Walls by Aerial Cam

Description

Line of the medieval town wall east of the standing tower 62588 to the surviving section of wall 62590, including the Chadlode Gate 62592. Demolished for the construction of the Crescent c.1790. According to R E Davies 'the great breach made for the building of the Crescent houses included the site of one of a series of towers, which extended along the lower level to protect the water lanes' [<1>], but this seems incorrect. Speed's map of 1610 shows a gate tower at (approx.) the bottom of Milk Street/Belmont (presumed to be 62592) but no others; the Burghley map shows a tower in a similar position <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 stretch is identified as 10 b/f/g, running between the site of the Cordlode Gate (PRN 01449) at the end of Swan Hill, along to No 22 Town Walls. There are three stretches of upstanding masonry wall on this section, and it also includes the only surviving mural tower, Wingfield’s Tower (PRN 10618). ->

-> A 9m length of standing masonry town wall joins the southeast wall of the tower (and is protected by Scheduling NHLE 1003709). The inner face (on the street side) is c. 2m in height and is of red sandstone. The upper three courses are of red sandstone ashlar, with a coping of Grinshill sandstone. The lower half is of red sandstone rubble construction, bonded in a light grey mortar, and may represent consolidated wall core. The inner face stands to a height of about 3.5m. The top 2m are of mixed red and buff Grinshill sandstone ashlar, over three courses of Grinshill with a distinct batter, in turn over a further five (exposed) courses of mixed sandstone ashlar. Similar battered Grinshill courses are seen at a lower level at either end of the section of standing wall to the east (see PRN 62590). The wall again is missing in front of No. 26 but continues to the southeast for about 6m, where it is cut through by Crescent Lane. This length of wall is again of mixed sandstone ashlar on its outer face, but again is of red sandstone rubble on its inner (street side) face. The line of the wall then runs below street level between Crescent Lane and No. 22 Town Walls. The site of a gate, the Chadelode Postern (PRN 01448), is thought to lie somewhere in this area opposite the end of Belmont road. ->

-> The three surviving sections of the town wall here were subject to photogrametric recording by Aerial Cam (see ESA 7591) - at 21, 26 and 26a Town Walls. A 3D pdf is attached in Library Link (warning large files). <3>

<01> Davies R E, 1909/ 1912, Town Walls of Shrewsbury, p181 (Article in serial). SSA5571.

<02> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis (SMR comment). SSA20432.

<03> Hannaford Hugh R, 2015, Shrewsbury Town Walls: a conservation management plan (2 volumes), Gazetteer 10b/f/g (Management report). SSA28223.

Sources

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