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Summary

The construction of the former rampart of the medieval town and the associated ditches (MSH66) probably began in 1202 or soon after. The northern rampart is probably of this date, and perhaps also part of the eastern rampart. Initially it would have been topped by a timber pallisade, replaced in the late 13th century by a stone town wall. The eastern rampart was probably not completed, at least at the south end, until the mid-to-late 14th century, by 1373; here it seems to have been built with the town wall (the south end is MSH3426). (See child records for details of specific sites.)

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• HER backup file (new series): SOU 624  (paper & digital)
• National Monuments Record (ex OS Antiquity Record): SU 41 SW 4  
• Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4211 NW 56  

Monument Type(s):

• RAMPART (Built, Medieval - 1202 AD to 1373 AD)
• TOWN DEFENCES (Built, Medieval - 1202 AD to 1373 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 and summary at a later date. (SCC HER 15/12/09)
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SOU 141 (excavations on the North-East Defences and Polymond Tower in 1957):
[6]: Sections through the part of the eastern rampart just south of Polymond Tower were obtained (see figure 40), showing the relationship between the rampart, earlier deposits, the town wall, Polymond Tower and the inner town ditch.
(See also [8] - details not added.)

SOU 624 (watching brief during the demolition of York Gate in 1961):
[1][2][3][4]: During the demolition of York Gate in 1961, a section was exposed to the east of the gate, through the town wall, the bank to the rear of the town wall, and a later wall. This section was drawn and photographed.
[1]: The layers in the bank against the town wall were orange clay and dark soil. Layers were dipping off at the rear before being interupted by the later wall. The rear of the bank was cut away for the later wall and the (construction) trench filled up to make a level surface (more details in [1]).
[1][2]: 13th and 14th century pottery was retrieved from the lower part of the bank, and 13th century pottery from "occupation" at the base of the bank.
IP 8/10/02: The results of SOU 624 are interpreted as follows. The lower part of the bank is the medieval rampart, overlying a pre-rampart occupation layer. The upper levelling layers belong to the late-18th-century rampart garden and the "later wall" is the revetment wall holding back the garden. (See separate records for the pre-rampart layer, town wall and post-medieval garden.)

SOU 175 (excavations at York Buildings/Bargate Centre in the late 1980s):
SCC HER 15/12/09: Work on the section of the town rampart between Bargate and East Street was undertaken as part of the SOU 175 excavations. The northern rampart was excavated in places, notably in Trench 6 and Trench 14. In Trench 14 it was reduced to the level existing in the later medieval period, all post-medieval layers being removed.
The eastern rampart had been levelled in the 18th century (see Trench 13). A small area survived adjacent to Polymond Tower, and during the SOU 175 Trench 14 work, this area was reduced to the level existing in the later medieval period, all post-medieval layers being removed.
Further details to follow. See SOU 175 interim report [5].

SOU 893 (watching brief at the Haymarket Electricity Substation in Strand in 1998):
IP 30/1/03: Undated layers, possibly part of the town rampart, were observed in this trench just east of Polymond Tower in 1998 (see child record).

SOU 1482 (excavation & watching brief on land at 72 – 74 Canal Walk in 2008-2011):
[9]: Part of the medieval town rampart was found in the excavation trench in 2010. It overlay Late Saxon/Anglo-Norman features (c900 AD to c1250 AD). The rampart deposits contained residual Late Saxon and Anglo-Norman finds, and some earlier finds; these would have come from earlier deposits dug up to form the rampart. No later medieval finds were recovered to date the rampart.

SOU 1562 Trenches 1, 2, 3 & 5 (archaeological evaluation excavation at Canal Walk, rear of 104/106a East Street, in 2011):
[10]: Probable medieval town rampart deposits were found. The deposits extended below the town wall, which here survives above-ground, and appeared to extend to the town ditch. It was not clear if the town wall was built in a trench cut into the rampart, or the rampart had been built to a level, the wall built, and then the rampart raised behind it.

SOU 1690 (archaeological excavation at the rear of 104–106 East Street in 2015):
[11]: (This followed the SOU 1562 work. No evidence was found relating to the town rampart.)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH141 - Excavations on the North-East Defences and Polymond Tower in 1957 (Ref: SOU 141)
• ESH175 - Excavations at York Buildings (the Bargate Centre) and North Walls between 1983 and 1992 (Ref: SOU 175)
• ESH624 - Watching brief during the demolition of York Gate in 1961 (Ref: SOU 624)
• ESH1865 - Excavation and watching brief at 72-74 Canal Walk between 2008 and 2011 (Ref: SOU 1482)
• ESH2081 - Evaluation excavation rear of 104/106a East Street (on Canal Walk/Back of the Walls) in 2011 (Ref: SOU 1562)
• ESH2336 - Excavation rear of 104-106 East Street (on Canal Walk/Back of the Walls) in 2015 (Ref: SOU 1690)
• ESH2483 - Watching brief on a trench dug under the town wall between SOU 175 Trenches 8 & 15A. (Ref: SOU 175)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).

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