The course of the Saxon and medieval defences to the burh of Tamworth. Excavation along various sections of the defences have revealed substantial remains surviving. Two sections of the defences are scheduled.
Town Defences: Site of medieval borough. Norman ditch and earth rampart formed town defences on a similar line to the preceding Saxon Burh defences. <1>
Town defences: Anglian and later Burh defences of north, east and west sides of the town centre. Of three main phases:
1. Pre 913 AD ditch and earth rampart.
2. Aethelflaedan timber-framed turf rampart and ditch of 913 AD.
3. Norman defences.
The south side of the Burh was defended only by the River Tame and River Anker. Two sites are scheduled, one on the line of the rampart (although the archaeology here may have been damaged by the construction of air raid shelters) and the other in the angle between the Tame and Hollow Way (although this may not be on the line of the defences). <2>
An archaeological evaluation in 1996 on the former hospital site revealed that deposits associated with both the ditches of the Anglo-Saxon defences and their medieval successors survive (and in places just below the modern ground level). <5> <6>
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-2007) <7>
Excavation evidence from Tamworth (as well as Winchcombe and Hereford) have shown that rather than constructing new defences in the late 9th to 10th centuries Aethelred and Aethelflaed actually refurbished and enlarge existing defences. (SB, 16-Dec-2008) <8>
Identified as being at risk on the 2009 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 16-Jun-2016)<9>
Identified as being at risk on the 2010 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 20-Jun-2016)<10>
Identified as being at risk on the 2011 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 20-Jun-2016)<11>
Identified as being at risk on the 2012 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 21-Jun-2016)<12>
Identified as being at risk on the 2013 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 29-Jun-2016)<13>
Identified as being at risk on the 2014 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 1-July-2016) <14>
Identified as being at risk on the 2015 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 7-July-2016) <15>
| --- | 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. |
| --- | 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> | SST3723 - Designation Record: Department for Culture Media and Sport / English Heritage. Ongoing-2016. Scheduled Monument Designation Documents, Scheduled Monument Consents and Section 17 Management Agreements. A.M. 7. (A.D. Sounders, 1968). |
| <2> | SST3044 - Verbal communication: R.A. Meeson (Staffordshire County Council). 1980 - 2000. Comments on sites in Staffordshire by R.A. Meeson. |
| <3> | SST1963 - Photographic: Staffordshire County Council. 1960s onward. Staffordshire County Council Photographic Collection. various. 22 Photographs. |
| <4> | SST1963 - Photographic: Staffordshire County Council. 1960s onward. Staffordshire County Council Photographic Collection. various. 4 Photographs. |
| <5> | SST3357 - Evaluation Report: A. D. W. Richmond (Tempus Reparatum). 1996. An Archaeological Evaluation of the Former Tamworth Hospital Site, Tamworth, Staffordshire. |
| <6> | SST3378 - Watching Brief Report: A. D. W. Richmond (Phoenix Consulting Archaeological Consultancy). 1997. Hospital Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire: An Archaeological Watching Brief. Append. |
| <7> | SST4230 - Geophysical Survey Report: Richard A. J. Smalley (Stratascan Ltd). 2006. Geophysical Survey Report: Gungate Precinct, Tamworth, Staffs. |
| <8> | SST1025 - Article in serial: Steve Bassett (Birmingham University). 2007. 'Divide and Rule? The Military Infrastructure of Eighth- and Ninth-Century Mercia' in Early Medieval Europe Volume 15, Number 1 (2007). Page 59. |
| <9> | SST1070 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2009. Heritage at Risk Register 2009 (West Midlands). Page 57. |
| <10> | SST1187 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2010. Heritage at Risk Register 2010 (West Midlands). Page 48. |
| <11> | SST1710 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2011. Heritage at Risk Register 2011 (West Midlands). Page 48. |
| <12> | SST4752 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2012. Heritage at Risk Register 2012 (West Midlands). Page 49. |
| <12> | SST4906 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2014. Heritage at Risk Register 2014 (West Midlands). Page 37. |
| <13> | SST4753 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2013. Heritage at Risk Register 2013 (West Midlands). page 36. |
| <14> | SST4906 - Published Book: English Heritage. 2014. Heritage at Risk Register 2014 (West Midlands). Page 37. |
| <15> | SST4907 - Published Book: Historic England. 2015. Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2015. Page 37. |
| 58281 | Parent of: Town Defences, Bolebridge Street, Tamworth (Monument) |
| 58280 | Parent of: Town Defences, Orchard Street, Tamworth (Monument) |
| 01318 | Parent of: Town Defences, South of Albert Road, Tamworth (Monument) |
| 01316 | Parent of: Town Defences, South of Lichfield Road, Tamworth (Monument) |
| 01317 | Parent of: Town Defences, West of Marmion Street, Tamworth (Monument) |
| 01153 | Part of: Tamworth Burh (Place) |