Documentary and excavation evidence for a Saxon Burh which was established on the site of the earlier Saxon enclosure and palace. The burh was enclosed by town defences (which included a ditch with timber palisade).
Burh: Area of Anglo-Saxon Burh. Pre 10th century enclosure re-fortified by Aethelflaed in 913 AD. Burgesses recorded in 1086. <not sourced>
Significant placename. <1>
Town Defences: Medieval defences excavated in the late 1960s and 1970s. The burh defences appear to follow an earlier ditch. This ditch was seemed to be associated with post holes and a beam slot. <2>
Siegework: Two sections were excavated across the rampart in circa 1964 (by R. Sherlock). <2> <3>
Burgesses were recorded in 1086 and a borough and burgesses are recorded on the earliest surviving pipe role of 1129-30. The borough was half in Warwickshire until 1890 and was thus one of the towns on county boundaries which gave rise to judicial disputes. In the later Middle Ages it apparently fell 'into so great decay, that it had lost the name of a borough town almost', although burgage tenure certainly survived. In 1560 Elizabeth I incorporated the town and borough status has been uninterrupted since then. (RB, 11-09-07) <4>
No archaeological features or finds from before the post-medieval period were recovered during an archaeological watching brief undertaken in 2003 on land to the rear of the Magistrates Court. Much of the ground had been disturbed suggesting that any evidence for the Saxon Burh and its associated ditch have been destroyed within the area covered by the watching brief. (SB, 17-Dec-2003) <5>
A geophysical survey of the Gungate precinct identified several anomalies that could be associated with the defensive ditch of the Anglo Saxon burh, but there was no clear evidence of a large Anglo Saxon ditch running parallel with Marmion Street. (LH, 26-Jun-07) <6>
An archaeological desk-based assessment in 2005 highlighted the archaeological significance of the Gungate Precinct and adjacent land, identifying the probable presence of the Anglo Saxon Royal burh and associated features, including the probable defensive ditch in this area. The remains are considered to be of potentially national importance. (LH, 26-Jun-2007) <7>
A burh was founded at Tamworth in 913 AD in accordance with the policy of building strongholds against the Danes laid down by Alfred the Great and Aethelflaed, the daughter of King Alfred, was responsible for the construction of the timber palisade defences at Tamworth at this time. (SB, 08-Feb-2008) <8>
A market was granted by the King in 1249. (RB, 11-09-07) <9>
| --- | SST3273 - Evaluation Report: Rob Early (Oxford Archaeological Unit). 1994. The Peel Arms Site, Market Street, Tamworth: Archaeological Evaluation. |
| --- | SST3357 - Evaluation Report: A. D. W. Richmond (Tempus Reparatum). 1996. An Archaeological Evaluation of the Former Tamworth Hospital Site, Tamworth, Staffordshire. |
| --- | SST3378 - Watching Brief Report: A. D. W. Richmond (Phoenix Consulting Archaeological Consultancy). 1997. Hospital Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire: An Archaeological Watching Brief. |
| --- | SST3573 - Evaluation Report: Nick Tavener (Marches Archaeology). 2001. Tamworth Youth Centre, Albert Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire: A Report on an Archaeological Evaluation. |
| --- | SST3579 - Evaluation Report: Richard Stone (Marches Archaeology). 2002. 12 -13 Church Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire: A Report on an Archaeological Evaluation. |
| --- | SST3582 - Watching Brief Report: Adrian F. Nash (Marches Archaeology). 2001. 21 - 22 Church Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire: A Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief. |
| --- | SST3618 - Watching Brief Report: Bob Meeson (Historic Buildings Consultant). 2002. St Editha's Church, Tamworth: Archaeological watching brief in the churchyard, 15th May 2002. |
| --- | SST3620 - Desk Based Assessment Report: Adrian F. Nash (Marches Archaeology). 2001. Tamworth Youth Centre, Albert road, Tamworth, Staffordshire: A Report on an Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. |
| <1> | SST2664 - Article in serial: Dr. Margaret Gelling. 1981. Some Thoughts on Staffordshire Place-Names in North Staffordshire Journal of Field Studies Volume 21 (1981). Page 3. |
| <2> | SST2160 - Serial: South Staffordshire Archaeological & Historical Society. 1968. South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Transactions 1967-1968 (Volume IX). 'First Report of the Excavations at Tamworth, 1967 - The Saxon Defences' by J. Gould, pages 17-29. |
| <3> | SST2188 - Serial: South Staffordshire Archaeological & Historical Society. 1969. South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Transactions 1968-1969 (Volume X). 'Third Report on Excavations at Tamworth, 1968: The Western Entrance…' by J. Gould, pages 32 to 34. |
| <4> | SST2313 - Serial: University of Keele. 1972. North Staffordshire Journal of Field Studies Volume 12 (1972). 'The Boroughs of Medieval Staffordshire' by D. M. Palliser, page 69. |
| <5> | SST1266 - Watching Brief Report: Pat Frost (Castlering Archaeology). 2003. Land to the Rear of Tamworth Magistrates Court, Tamworth, Staffordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief. Pages 1-4. |
| <6> | SST4230 - Geophysical Survey Report: Richard A. J. Smalley (Stratascan Ltd). 2006. Geophysical Survey Report: Gungate Precinct, Tamworth, Staffs. |
| <7> | SST4225 - Desk Based Assessment Report: Paul Chadwick & Sarah Watt (CgMs Consulting). 2005. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, The Gungate Precinct, Tamworth, Staffordshire. |
| <8> | SST1008 - Serial: Andrew and Wendy Selkirk (Editors). 1971. Current Archaeology Number 29 (November 1971). 'Tamworth' based on information from Phillip Rhatz & Ken Sheridan, page 164. |
| <9> | SST2265 - Serial: University of Keele. 1971. North Staffordshire Journal of Field Studies Volume 11 (1971). 'The Markets of Medieval Staffordshire' by D. M. Palliser & A. C. Pinnock, p52. |