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| HER Number: | MSH22 |
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| Type of Record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Town Defences - First Tower East of Bargate |
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| Grid Reference: | SU 4204 1163 |
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| Map: | Show location on Streetmap |
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Summary
The first tower east of Bargate is a half-round, D-shaped tower on the line of the northern town wall. It was probably built in the late 13th century (between 1260 and 1291), along with the next tower to the east (MSH21) and the north town wall. The tower originally had three embrasures with arrow loops, converted to gunloops in or after the late 14th century. These three loops are mentioned in the 1454 terrier. However only the eastern embrasure survives complete; perhaps in the mid 19th century, the western embrasure was demolished and replaced by a wall, and the loop of the northern embrasure is now missing. Archaeological investigations were carried out in the tower in 1988/9 (SOU 175 Trench 20). The tower was found to be contemporary with the town wall, and had been built out over the edge of the inner town ditch; presumably the floor level had originally been raised to be level with the embrasure sills. However at some time during the post-medieval period the level inside the tower was substantially lowered, probably to form a cellar. A stone and brick wall was built on the south edge of this cut, closing off the south side of the tower. Dating evidence from the excavation suggests that the cellar was backfilled in about 1800, although there is oral evidence of the tower being used as a ladder store in the 20th century. (The south wall was removed during the excavation, and the excavated trench was later backfilled.)
Protected Status
- Scheduled Monument 1001926
- Listed Building (I) 1340006: TOWN WALLS: SECTION OF WALL RUNNING WEST FROM POLYMOND TOWER TO REMAINS OF SEMI-CIRCULAR TOWER TO EAST OF BARGATE AND SMALL PART SOUTH OF POLYMOND TOWER
Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded
Monument Type(s):
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)
Sources / Further Reading
| --- | SSH3136 - Unpublished document: Ancient Monument File AM81 - North Walls: Bargate to Polymond Tower. |
| [1] | SSH2888 - Digital archive: English Heritage. 2005. Listed Buildings System dataset for Southampton. |
| [2] | SSH865 - Excavation archive: Excavation Archive for SOU 175. SOU 175. |
| [3] | SSH519 - Serial: M Hughes (ed), Hampshire County Council. 1987. Archaeology in Hampshire Annual Report for 1986. pp28 |
| [4] | SSH792 - Serial: M Hughes (ed), Hampshire County Council. 1990. Archaeology in Hampshire Annual Report for 1989. p36 |
| [5] | SSH520 - Serial: The Society for Medieval Archaeology. 1987. Medieval Archaeology, Vol 31, 1987 (for 1986). p139 |
| [6] | SSH828 - Serial: The Society for Medieval Archaeology. 1990. Medieval Archaeology, Vol 34, 1990 (for 1989). p186 |
| [7] | SSH712 - Serial: Morton, AD (ed), SCC. 1990. Annual Report of the Southampton Archaeological & Heritage Management Section 1990. pp37-39, 64 |
| [8] | SSH2510 - Archaeological Report: H Kavanagh. 1994. York Buildings - SOU 175 Interim Report. SOU 175. |
Associated Finds: None recorded
Associated Events
- ESH175 - Excavations at York Buildings (the Bargate Centre) and North Walls between 1983 and 1992 (Ref: SOU 175)
Related records
| MSH14 | Child of: Town Defences - town wall, towers and gates |
Associated Links: None recorded
Images
 Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, York Walk, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  First tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © 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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