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Summary

This polygonal tower was built at an angle in the town wall almost immediately north of the walls of Southampton Castle. It was situated at the end of the line of the castle bailey ditch. The tower is referred to as the "small tower" in 1454. There are garderobes in the top of the surviving tower, and it is now referred to as the Garderobe Tower. The section of town wall north of the castle site was almost certainly built in the late 14th century, after 1377/1378, and this tower is probably part of that build.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1340005: TOWN WALLS: SECTION OF WALL RUNNING WEST FROM BARGATE TO ARUNDEL TOWER AND THEN SOUTH TO POINT JUST SOUTH OF CASTLE WATER GATE. IT INCLUDES ARUNDEL TOWER, CATCHCOLD TOWER, GARDEROBE TOWER, THE 40 STEPS, CASTLE WATER GATE & CASTLE VAULT & THE TOWN WALLS
• Scheduled Monument 1001927: Town wall: section from 75 yards (70m) East of Arundel Tower to limit of castle site including Arundel and Catchcold Towers

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• ANGLE TOWER (Built, Medieval - 1377 AD to 1399 AD)
• FLANKING TOWER (Built, Medieval - 1377 AD to 1399 AD)
• GARDEROBE (Built, Medieval - 1377 AD to 1399 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. The summary incorporates new information not yet included in this description. (SCC HER 8/12/09)
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[1]: Listed Building Description. TOWN WALLS. Section of wall running west from Bargate to Arundel Tower and then south to point just south of Castle Water Gate. It includes Arundel Tower, Catchcold Tower, Garderobe Tower, The 40 Steps, Castle Water Gate and Castle Vault (formerly listed as Section of Town Wall running from the point of junction with the Castle Wall just north of Simnel Street to its eastern termination just west of Bargate). Grade I.
(This tower is not specifically mentioned in the description itself. SCC HER)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

Images

Forty Steps, town wall and Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Garderobe Tower and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Forty Steps and Garderobe Tower from Albion Place, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
West town wall from top of Arundel Tower, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Catchcold Tower and Forty Steps from the Garderobe Tower, Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Town wall northeast of Garderobe Tower, Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Top of town wall south of Garderobe Tower, Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Arundel Tower, Catchcold Tower, Garderobe Tower and town wall from castle buttress, Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Garderobe Tower from castle buttress, Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Town wall and towers looking north from Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Garderobe Tower and town wall to north-east, from Forest View, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Top of Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Top of Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Top of Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Town wall between Garderobe Tower and Forty Steps, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower and castle buttress, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Garderobe Tower, castle buttress and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Garderobe Tower, castle buttress and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	Catchcold Tower, Garderobe Tower, castle buttress and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
Catchcold Tower, Garderobe Tower, castle buttress and town wall, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham	West town wall below Forest View and towers to north, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © I Peckham
West town wall below Forest View and towers in distance, Western Esplanade, 21.6.09, © 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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