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Monument Types

• TOWN WALL (MEDIEVAL - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (between))
• TOWN WALL (POST MEDIEVAL - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (between))

Associated Events

• City wall (Ref: WCM100499)
• City wall (Ref: WCM100500)
• City wall (Ref: WCM100501)
• City wall (Ref: WCM100502)
• City wall (Ref: WCM100503)
• City wall (Ref: WCM100504)
• City Ditch, Bowling Green Terrace (Ref: WCM100656)
• City wall, rear of 4-5 Cornmarket (Ref: WCM101121)
• Rear of 4-5 Cornmarket - watching brief (Ref: WCM101122)

Protected Status

• Listed Building
• Listed Building

Full description

A long and varied section of the medieval city wall, largely surviving above ground level.

That part of it from Nash’s Passage north for c.100 metres formerly stood opposite Bowling Green Terrace, where it was investigated by Barker in 1967-9: by excavating a section across the ditch (WCM 100656: WCM 96136), and by excavating behind the wall, where a clay bank was recorded (relationship not specified: see WCM 96140). The whole length opposite Bowling Green Terrace had been exposed by March 1969 {1}.

This section of wall was further investigated by Bennett in 1973, in six trenches. At the north end, a cutting (WCM 100499: tr. V, 16/11) 47.6m long showed the wall in poor condition, nowhere more than 2 metres high. Upper sections of the wall had been rebuilt in stone and in brick, no secondary fabric appeared earlier than the 17th century. For most of the northern half of this stretch, five chamfered plinth courses were the norm, though in one small area there was an intermediate one-course plinth in addition. Excavation showed that the city wall was given more substantial foundations where it crossed the line of an earlier ditch (WCM 96394). A small trench (WCM 100500: tr.VI, 16/12) was dug at right-angles to the wall to investigate the city ditch; no berm separated it from the wall. The central section of this part of the wall (north of Nash’s Passage) was exposed in Bennett’s trench VII (WCM 100501: 16/13), and had previously been investigated by Barker (WCM 100656: 16/33, see above). The wall was generally not in its primary state. There were four chamfered plinth courses over the footings, with little survival of original fabric above plinth level. Bennett suggested that the mixture of ‘neat and shoddy rebuilds’ above represented rebuilding from the 17th century onwards. A probable coping stone was found re-used in a rebuilt section. A marked change of alignment was noted at a point c. 35m north of Nash’s Passage. Between Nash’s Passage and Charles Street Bennett’s investigations (WCM 100502: 16/14, tr.VIII) showed survival of original fabric for 2 metres above the plinth; the central part of this particular stretch had been rebuilt, including the plinth. Just north of Charles Street survival was even more limited, and excavation across the wall line found that its rear elevation had been refaced in brick (WCM 100503 and WCM 100504: 16/15 tr. IX and 16/16 tr.X) {2}.

Continues to S as WCM 96108 (buried remains below Charles St).

Inspection (January 2001), from south to north, showed that sandstone masonry on the line of the city wall commences c.8m north of Charles Street with three re-set courses in a modern boundary wall. It continues northwards incorporated in a 20th-century industrial building and is then interrupted or masked by an 11m stretch of modern brickwork. It becomes visible again (r/o 5a New Street) as 2-4 courses at the base of industrial buildings, with recent underpinning, and incorporated in a modern boundary wall. The lowest visible course looks like the upper plinth course. Three plinth courses plus two courses over are visible on the south side of Nash’s Passage. On the north side of the passage there is greater survival with 6-9 courses above the plinth supporting a modern boundary wall. Discontinuities in coursing, the introduction of a tile course, differential weathering, and patches of early (hand-made) brickwork all suggest multi-phase rebuilds. Plinth rebuilt just south of footbridge. North of the inserted pedestrian access to the footbridge, 9 courses survive above ground level to height of c.2m, with a low brick boundary wall over. The wall is interrupted by a projecting section rising vertically from the 4th plinth course, ?rebuilt. The wall is now sandstone-built to its full height (10 courses over 5 plinth courses over 2 rubble foundation courses). The superstructure is interrupted by brick-blocked openings and other features, including a rebated straight joint in sandstone, possibly representing an early opening (30.5m south of bastion WCM 96110). Between c.12m and 20m south of bastion WCM 96110 the coursing virtually disappears in jumbled rebuilds; there is a change of alignment c.2m south of the bastion.

Note that between (S of) the southernmost section mentioned above and the Charles St pavement there is a single line of sandstone in the hard landscaping (recently exposed after being hidden under vegetation). Probably this is part of the the hard landscaping, to mark the line of the wall, but it is possible that it does, in part, represent part of the wall fabric. {4}

note ?2nd batter in upper courses at 4-5 Cmkt; also 1970s rebuilds here

add refs to 4-5 Cmkt work

repairs, records, photographic records

designation - part scheduled monument

Sources and further reading

Related records

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