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. © Southampton City Council
| HER Number: | MSH35 |
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| Type of Record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Town Defences - town wall between the two towers on the north town wall east of Bargate |
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| Grid Reference: | SU 4206 1163 |
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| Map: | Show location on Streetmap |
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Summary
The section of the northern town wall between the first and second towers east of Bargate was probably built in the late 13th century, between 1260 and 1291, and survives for its entire length.
Archaeological excavations took place against both faces of the town wall between 1986 and 1991 (SOU 175 Trenches 8, 9 and 15A, 15B, 15D and 15E). Outside/north of the wall, the town wall footings were exposed in Trenches 8 and 9, and the footings of the second tower were exposed in Trench 9. No firm dating evidence was found for the construction of the town wall or second tower, although they were provisionally dated to the high medieval period. In Trench 8, the wall was found to have an off-set foundation of one course of limestone blocks. In Trench 9, the wall and tower were built as one, with an offset foundation of limestone blocks, the tower footings being deeper than the wall footings. Inside/south of the town wall (Trench 15) the medieval rampart survived to a maximum height of 1.7m. The rampart was excavated in certain places and was dated to the high medieval period (the dating evidence came from rampart layers excavated in Trench 6 to the south). The rampart was cut on the north side by the town wall construction trench. The wall had been built up against the rampart, with no attempt being made to face the wall on the south side until rampart level was passed, after which the wall was faced on both the north and south sides and filled with a rubble core. Thus, the town wall was shown to be later than the rampart in this area. At the west end, the wall was later partly removed from the north side to construct a brick-lined arched cavity within the wall; this wall had since been refaced.
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):
- CURTAIN WALL (Built, Medieval - 1260 AD to 1291 AD)
- CURTAIN WALL (extant, Medieval to Modern - 1260 AD? to 2050 AD)
- TOWN WALL (Built, Medieval - 1260 AD to 1291 AD)
- TOWN WALL (extant, Medieval to Modern - 1260 AD? to 2050 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)
Sources / Further Reading
| [1] | SSH2888 - Digital archive: English Heritage. 2005. Listed Buildings System dataset for Southampton. |
| [2] | SSH2510 - Archaeological Report: H Kavanagh. 1994. York Buildings - SOU 175 Interim Report. SOU 175. |
| [3] | SSH865 - Excavation archive: Excavation Archive for SOU 175. SOU 175. |
| [100] | SSH3136 - Unpublished document: Ancient Monument File AM81 - North Walls: Bargate to Polymond Tower. |
Associated Finds: None recorded
Associated Events
- ESH175 - Excavations at York Buildings (the Bargate Centre) and North Walls between 1983 and 1992 (Ref: SOU 175)
- ESH2483 - Watching brief on a trench dug under the town wall between SOU 175 Trenches 8 & 15A. (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 |  Second tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 Second tower east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 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 |
 Town wall east of Bargate, York Walk, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |  Town wall east of Bargate, York Walk, 31/8/09, © I Peckham |
 Town wall east of Bargate, York Walk, 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 | |
If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).
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