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Monument Types

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

Associated Events

• Hostel House trial pits (Ref: WCM100558)

Full description

KLEVE WALK (East side) Boundary walls to E. side of R. Severn extending S. from the Water Gate
S085SW
620-1/3/697

GV
II*

Western boundary wall to former Monastery of St Mary including its east-west offshoots, the boundaries to 10 College Green(qv), that to the south also being the southern continuation of the Monastery Wall. Possible C14 origins but with later additions and alterations principally in the C18. Sandstone in red, cream and grey/green; red brick. Overall length approx. 64 metres from Water Gate southwards to southern boundary of 10 College Green (qv). Typical height approx. 3 metres; southern end approx. 2 metres. Regular coursed, smooth-faced rectangular blocks, typical block size 0.25m. x 0.5 m. Chamfered coping, inset with further chamfer to wall top or flush with wall face to south, oversailing at N. end. Whole length of wall sits on approx. half-height plinth with chamfered top; to north plinth has a further chamfered offset near ground level; centre section has 3 or 4 chamfered offsets to plinth. The northern section which is also overbuilt with a one-and-a-half storey brick and tile agricultural range, has four matching profile, full-height buttresses. Associated walls to No. 10 College Green (qv): Overall length, approx. 20 metres, and 25 metres to N. & S. respectively. Wall to south typically approx. 2-2.5 metres high, some areas of brick but predominantly stone in regular coursed masonry as per the western section to the river; similar double chamfered coping detail. Wall to north boundary of similar height, predominantly re-built in brick in C19 but incorporates remains of earlier stone wall.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Excavations in the Water Gate area have shown that the wall to the southern side of the gate was built prior
to the construction of the towpath on this side of the river; pictorial evidence suggests this happened in the early C19. The wall is thus probably late C18 at its youngest.
l
Note: The former Monastic Precinct Wall (Scheduled Ancient Monument) is also visible to the east and south sides of College Green; a section runs N. from Edgar Tower (qv) as part of the western boundary to College Precincts; a further section runs S. from Edgar Tower (qv) along the NW side of Castle Place
-443

Part of the southern side of the precinct boundary, flanking north side of Castle Place.

In front of and south of the Edgar Tower it is built of red sandstone with clasping buttresses and plinth in the manner of the wall to the north (WCM 96354). This work ends just around the corner to the south, with a straight joint against much more weathered ashlar of mixed red and green sandstones, of possible medieval character and date. The coursing of this stretch dips down to the west to a point at the rear of no.3 College Green, before rising again. This may reflect the position of the infilled castle ditch (see WCM 96017). Further sandstone fabric survives further west to the south of 5-6 College Green. The wall was investigated archaeologically at four locations to the rear of Hostel House (5 College Green; WCM 100558); a probable medieval sandstone wall was found under the standing wall.

This stretch of the precinct wall probably post-dates the re-acquisition of the castle site by the Cathedral Priory in 1217 (see WCM 96350).
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add 3 College Green work
add Mike Napthan Kings School work 2003-03

Sources and further reading

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