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Summary

The tower now known as the Reredorter Tower is situated towards the south end of the eastern town wall and forms part of the medieval town defences. In the 15th century it was known as the Friars’ garret and historical sources show that it was the reredorter or toilet block of the Friary, adjacent to the west. The tower was also used for defence, and in 1454 it had 9 defensive loops.

An archaeological excavation in 1986 (SOU 267) showed that the Reredorter was originally a free-standing structure, butted to the north and south by the later town wall and rampart. Other parts of the Friary were built in 1291. The Reredorter may also have been built in 1291 or soon after. The town wall in this area was built in the mid-to-late 14th century, by 1373. A drain was found inside the tower, consistent with its use as a toilet. The drain would have been washed clean by tidal water from the town ditch. There was no doorway at ground level and the building must have been entered at first floor level.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1179291: TOWN WALLS: SECTION OF WALL RUNNING ALONG BACK OF THE WALLS JUST NORTH OF THE WALLS FROM JUST NORTH OF NO 39 TO BRITON STREET
• Scheduled Monument 1001931: Town wall: remains of East side of town wall South of East Street and North of God’s House Tower

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• FRIARY (Built, Medieval - 1291 AD to 1350 AD)
• PRIVY HOUSE (Built, Medieval - 1291 AD to 1350 AD)
• INTERVAL TOWER (Altered, Medieval - 1325 AD? to 1373 AD)

Full description

Records for the town defences are currently being enhanced and it is intended that further details will be added to this description at a later date. (SCC HER 4/12/09)
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[4]: Listed Building Description. TOWN WALLS. Section of wall running along back of the Walls from just north of No 39 to Briton Street (formerly listed as section of Town Wall in back of the Walls running south from Raleigh House until it joins the south Gate or God's House). Grade II.
(There is no specific mention of this tower. SCC HER)

SOU 267 (Excavation in the Reredorter on Back of the Walls in 1986):
[1][2][3]: (The main report [1] covers the medieval, not the post-medieval, archaeology.)
The area inside and to the west of this tower on the town walls was excavated. The tower is a rectangular stone tower to the southeast of the site of the Friary Church. It is identified as being the reredorter tower of the friary, built between 1291 and 1373 (documentary evidence). There was no entrance at ground level, suggesting that access was at a higher level. There was an internal north-south stone wall built against a dump of redeposited brickearth layers on the west, with open drain to east ([1] and [3]) (= sewer). The later town wall butted against the north and south walls of the tower. The tower was therefore probably originally free-standing, and later incorporated into the line of the town walls (latter probably built mid to late 14th century, but before 1373).

IP 22/9/04: The later watching brief along this part of Back of the Walls, SOU 413, seems not to have involved the Reredorter.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH267 - Excavation in the Reredorter on Back of the Walls in 1986 (Ref: SOU 267)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

Images

Town wall and Reredorter, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Town wall between Friary Gate and Reredorter, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Town wall and Reredorter, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Town wall and Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Town wall and Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Town wall between Reredorter Tower and Friary Gate, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Town wall and Reredorter Tower, Back of the Walls, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Town wall north of Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Town wall north of Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Town wall and Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower and town wall, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham	Reredorter Tower and town wall, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham
Reredorter Tower and town wall, Lower Canal Walk, 6/9/09, © I Peckham

If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).

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