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Summary

Speed's map of 1596/1611 shows an east-west boundary wall just north of what later became Castle Lane and Castle Square. The wall would have formed an internal division with the bailey of Southampton Castle. It was probably demolished before the late 18th century. Foundations and robbed foundations, possibly of this wall, have been traced during archaeological investigations at a few locations west of Maddison Street, although the remains have not been firmly dated (see child records). On one site, a substantial ditch was found to the north of the wall, but this has not been found on sites further west. It has been suggested that the wall and ditch may represent the primary northern defences of the castle during the first half of the 12th century. Alternatively the wall may always have been an internal boundary within a larger bailey.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• BAILEY (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1618 AD)
• BOUNDARY WALL (Built, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1611 AD)
• CASTLE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1618 AD)
• BOUNDARY WALL (Demolished, Post Medieval - 1611 AD to 1770 AD?)

Full description

See Parent Record MSH23 for a summary of the documentary and excavation evidence for Southampton Castle, a discussion of the development of the Castle derived largely from [1], and a full list of sources.
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CHILD RECORDS (chronological order)

MSH3400 - SOU 29 (excavation in Maddison Street in 1980 and 1981):
A robbed-out E-W wall was found, with a ditch to the north (MSH3399). The wall was some way north of Cement Terrace. It was interpreted as being the wall shown on Speed’s map [1]. It is suggested in [5] that this may have been the original north wall of the castle (see parent record MSH23 for discussion), or just a division between the inner and outer bailey. (Further details on record.)

MSH2233 - SOU 996 (excavations & watching brief during repair work on the castle wall outside 1 Forest View in 1999/2001):
Wall 065, which butted against the eastern face of the castle bailey wall, was initially interpreted as being part of a structure within the castle, but may have been part of this boundary wall.

MSH2744 - SOU 1232 (watching brief at 1 Forest View in 2003):
E-W wall found. Some dating evidence suggested late medieval or later date. Wall interpreted as the E-W wall shown on Speed's 1611 map.
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SCC HER 31/10/09: Speed’s 1596/1611 map [1] shows a wall running roughly westward from the Castle East Gate to the west curtain wall of the castle. This apparently formed a division within the castle bailey, although for some reason Speed does not show the north bailey wall. The division is reflected on late 18th century maps [2][3] etc and 19th century maps. It approximates to the line now formed by the north side of the Castle Lane, Castle Square and Cement Terrace. The c1770 map [2] shows a line of houses on the north side of Castle Square, so the wall could have been north of the lane, with a verge in front, later built over. Englefield in 1801 [7] does not mention the wall. By 1846 these houses had been demolished, although a line of trees may mark the boundary. In 1883, Davies [4] mentions "foundations as of a strong wall" discovered to the rear of the west wall of the castle and "curiously coinciding with a line of wall drawn in Speed’s (1596) plan...”, clearly the wall under discussion here.

[5] (concluding chapters): The area covered by the castle during the first half of the 12th century is uncertain. The SOU 29 ditch (MSH3399) and its associated wall (MSH3400) may represent the primary northern defences of the castle, later superseded by the construction of a rampart and wall to the north. (See MSH23 for more details.) Or the rampart itself may be the primary northern defence of the castle, and the SOU 29 ditch and wall only an internal division of the bailey.

[6]: The east-west wall would have crossed the inner bailey and continued down the cliff face to join the castle defences that ran along the shoreline at the foot of the cliff. At this point, the cliff was closer to the shore? than it was further north on Forest View, and this is perhaps why the wall was built here. The SOU 29 ditch has not been found on sites to the west.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

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

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