Monument Type(s):

• DITCH (13th century to 15th century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)
• TOWN DEFENCES (13th century to 15th century - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)

Summary

Section of the medieval town ditch.

Related records

Associated Finds

• FSA519 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)
• FSA385 - VESSEL (Medieval to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1066 AD to 1913 AD)

Associated Events

• ESA4730 - 2001 WB at St Chad's Church by SCCAS
• ESA4731 - 1997 Trial excavations at 1a Quarry Place, Murivance, Shrewsbury by Cambrian Archaeological Projects Ltd
• ESA6032 - 2006 WB at 21a Town Walls, Shrewsbury by Marches Archaeology
• ESA6995 - 2013 WB at rear of No. 26 Town Walls, Shrewsbury by Castlering Archaeology
• ESA7590 - 2015 Conservation management survey of the town walls, Shrewsbury, by SCAS

Description

Line of the town ditch in the south-west sector of the medieval defences, between the river Severn at the Austin Friars site [PRN 01466] and St Julian's Friars (the ditch there numbered as PRNs 62473 and 62474). The existence of the ditch in this sector is demonstrated by, and its line has been extrapolated from an evaluation trench at the end of Quarry Place. At the west end, it is suggested that the ditch and a watercourse within it has been culverted in stages as culvert PRN 62557. It is not improbable that the ditch pre-dates the construction of masonry walls in this area: this seems to be the case further east, below Wyle Cop and Belmont Bank, where documentary evidence indicates that the ditch was in existence c.1221 (see PRN 62473). There are also references to la mote of the…wall in 1303-4 (32 Ed I) when the land known as Stury's Close (between the Franciscan Friary and the gate [PRN 01448] at the bottom of Milk Street/Belmont) was granted to Richard Stury by the bailiffs and corporation. <1>

A watching brief in New St Chad's car park observed a deposit of dark grey silt which may have represented the topmost fill of the ditch. <2>

Excavations in the neighbouring section of ditch to the east [see PRN 62473, 08553] revealed that the ditch was much wider than had been anticipated, due to a major post medieval recut [<3>]. The SMR mapping at the east end of this section of ditch has been adjusted to blend in with the known wider section of ditch, but it is more than possible that the recut extends much further into this section than is shown, and that the ditch may therefore be significantly wider than shown, particularly below Town Walls. <4>

Watching brief carried out at 21a Town Walls, Shrewsbury on groundworks including the partial removal of a stepped garden in connection with residential development. No evidence of the town ditch was recovered but this does not preclude the possibility of a smaller ditch closer to the wall. The land rises quite markedly from St Julian’s Friars and therefore the need for a ditch may not have been necessary. Evidence for ridge and furrow cultivation was found and in this location, so close to the town wall could suggest that a ditch was never constructed in this area. <5>

The town ditch was revealed in 1997 in trial excavations at 1a Quarry Place. The excavation encountered shallow post-medieval strata overlying the natural surface and sealing a large cut feature identified as the medieval extramural ditch. The ditch lay on the north boundary of the site, partly under Murivance (adjacent road). Only limited excavation of the ditch was possible but an estimated depth of c.3.8m along the site boundary was postulated with the use of a hand auger. Two fills were seen, a primary sandy fill on the southern lip and a greenish brown loam containing sherds of probable 14th-century date, indicating that the ditch was probably backfilled at this time. <6> (according to the report: but what pottery is really that dateable in this period??); anyhow, the ditch appears to have silted up in this area before post-medieval pottery was being discarded locally <6a>

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken during ground disturbing works on land to the rear of No 26 Town Walls, Shrewsbury, in 2013. No. 26 is believed to be on the line of the former defensive ditch. Castlering Archaeology monitored the ground disturbing works intermittently in the weeks beginning Monday July 29th and Monday August 5th 2013. A minimal amount of excavation was undertaken overall. The deepest excavation extended to 1.3m bpgl through made-up ground, comprising building waste contemporary with the construction of the street frontage property. No archaeological finds or features were recorded during the course of the watching brief. <7>

A conservation management plan was prepared in 2015 for the entire circuit of town walls surrounding Shrewsbury (excluding around Shrewsbury Castle at the NE corner). This provides a general historic overview of the development of the town defences, together with detailed analysis and management recommendations for individual sections (in gazetteer form in volume 2). The town ditch here is identified in a series of places along this stretch and the information from previous investigation is summarised. <8>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.