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Summary

A short length of town wall immediately south of Westgate. It was probably built after 1377, part of the late 14th century construction phase along the western shore. Most of the wall now forms the west wall of Tudor Merchants Hall, moved to this site in about 1634 (see separate record). The first floor of the building was later extended over the wall-walk of the town wall, the merlons on the parapet being removed and the town wall built up to eaves level. [In the 1454 defence terrier the entire town wall between the Bugle Tower and West Gate is lumped together, however for this record it is divided into three because of the very different builds present (so MSH1111, MSH1112 and MSH1113).]

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1179282: TOW WALLS: SECTIONS OF WALL RUNNING SOUTH ALONG ESPLANADE FROM SOUTH-WEST CORNER OF SIMNEL STREET TO UNIVERSITY AIR SQUADRON HEADQUARTERS AT SOUTH END OF BUGLE STREET. INCLUDES THE ARCADES, THE WEST GATE, BLUE ANCHOR POSTERN AND BIDDLES GATE
• Scheduled Monument 1001928: Town wall: section between Simnel Street and the site of the Bugle Tower excluding the West Gate

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• CURTAIN WALL (Built, Medieval - 1377 AD to 1399 AD)
• TOWN WALL (Built, Medieval - 1377 AD to 1399 AD)

Full description

Records for the town defences are currently being enhanced and it is intended that further details will be added to this description at a later date. (SCC HER 8/12/09)
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[1]: Extract from Listed Building Description. TOWN WALLS. Sections of wall running south along Esplanade from south-west corner of Simnel Street to University Air Squadron Headquarters at south end of Bugle Street. Includes The Arcades, The West Gate, Blue Anchor Postern and Biddles Gate. (Also listed as: WESTGATE STREET - The West Gate including portions of Town Walls and arcades adjoining.) Grade I.
- Mediaeval City Wall built of stone rubble about 20 feet in height. (etc)
(This section of wall is not specifically mentioned in the description. SCC HER)
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SOU 1495 Phase 2 (excavation and building recording at Tudor Merchants Hall in 2009/2010):
[2]: The excavation work took place inside Tudor Merchants Hall, against the east/inside of the town wall. The town wall was the earliest deposit found. Its construction level was not reached, and all the exposed masonry had probably originally been above ground. The wall was built of roughly squared blocks of Bembridge limestone, with some Quarr, bonded with lime mortar, and was laid roughly to courses.

Above floor level the wall rose vertically to the town wall walkway, paved with Purbeck slabs. The west face of the town wall continued above walkway level as a parapet. The parapet was raised in 1634 and its original height is unclear.
(See also [3].)
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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH1877 - Archaeological recording and excavation at Tudor Merchants Hall in 2009/2010 (Ref: SOU 1495)
• ESH2659 - Building recording at town wall beneath Westgate Hall in 2021 (Ref: SOU 1918)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

Images

Westgate, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Westgate and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Westgate, Westgate Street - gunport in south wall, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Westgate and town wall, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Westgate and town wall, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Town wall south of Westgate, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Westgate and town wall, Western Esplanade, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Westgate and Tudor Merchants Hall, Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Westgate and Tudor Merchants Hall, Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Westgate and Tudor Merchants Hall, Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Town wall and Tudor Merchants Hall, Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham
Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham	Inside of town wall south of Tudor Merchants Hall, Cuckoo Lane/Westgate Street, 30/8/09, © I Peckham

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