More information : "The Saxon Chronicle relates that in the year 913, Edward the Elder ... threw up two Burhs at Hertford one on the north bank of the river, and later one on the south bank between three of the rivers which here unite. [See Herts 29 SE 12 ]
.... The former of these works has long been laid low, and no trace
of it is visible, but the latter has been preserved by its
incorporation into the later castle. (1)
It is absolutely clear that a burh was an enclosure and not a tump,
and it is equally clear from the general use of the word that its
main meaning was a fortified town, and the same thing as a borough.
Clark's contention [ see (1) above] that a burh was a Saxon castle
is without justification. Two burhs at Hertford, on opposite banks
of the Lea, were built by Edward the Elder in 913. "... the very
precise indications given in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle show that
each burh was a separate construction."
N. of Lea - no motte and no Norman castle S. of Lea - A motte and a
Norman castle. "Therefore if a burh were the same thing as a motte,
there ought to be two mottes at Hertford, one on each side of the
river; whereas there is only one, and that forms part of the
works of the Norman castle [ see TL 31 SW 12] Mr. Clark ... says
that the northern mound has 'long been laid low' (a) but there is
not the slighest proof that it ever existed except in his
imagination. Hertford was a borough at the time of Domesday. No
earthworks remain." (2)
Erection of Burhs on both sides of the river at Hertford (b) in the
years 913 and 914. (3)
"....two clusters of houses, with their churches, surrounded by
a strong palisade, were the burghs. Each burgh had its market
place. The north burgh's market place was the Old Cross, where a
market cross formerly stood [Market Cross - TL 31 SW 84.] The south
burgh's market place was the site of the present Shire Hall [TL
31 SW 85] The church of the north burgh, St. Mary the Less,
occupied the site of the Public Library; that of the south burgh,
St. Nicholas, was between Maidenhead Street and the river. Both
churches have since disappeared." (4)
No field action. (5)
Excavations in the Railway Street Car Park at TL 327128, by M
Petchey for Hertford Museum and the DOE, exposed "a ditch, 6 by 3m,
which was filled in the 12th or early 13th century. This may be
part of the defences of Edward the Elder's burh". (6)
TL 32751275. The trial section in Railway Street was inconclusive
according to Davies, who states the ditch could merely have been a
boundary feature. A full report by M Petchey is pending, but the
excavation will not be continued. (7)
The ditch found in 1973 is not considered to be part of the defences
of the Saxon burh.
The western boundary of the burh is fairly certain. The Norman
castle (TL 31 SW 12) was probably built athwart the Saxon defences,
which was common practice at the time and All Saints' Church
(TL 32801246) probably also stood astride the burh wall. The
easterly diversion of the Wall Ditch, also known as the Gulphs (at
TL 32831247) can then be attributed to the construction of the
defences, and perhaps the stream's incorporation into them. (8)
Prior to the redevelopment of the Bircherley Green area excavations
took place during 1979 and 1980 in four areas with the aim of
recovering material evidence for the early settlement of Hertford.
Site 1 (TL 32701274) Hertford Central Area
Site 2 (TL 32681272) Hertford Museum Car Park
Site 3 (TL 32751270) Railway Street
Site 4 (TL 32741267) Hertford Covered Market
The excavations on these sites did not prove conclusively the
existence of the southern burh in this area, but pottery found
indicates a date range of late 9th to mid 10th century which would
be consistent with the documented date (913) for the burh. (9)
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