Information for record number MWA1923:
Warwick Town Defences

Summary Warwick defences, consisting of a Town Wall and Ditch. Documentary evidence has suggested the line for the Medieval defences, which has been subject to excavation; in places it survives a a rock-cut Ditch with eroded bedrock backfill.
What Is It?  
Type: Defence, Wall, Ditch, Town Gate
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Warwick
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: 00
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 The fortification of Warwick was complicated by the building of a town wall, possibly placed near Ethelfleda's rampart (PRN 2191). The earth rampart was located during excavation in 1964. This consisted of a rampart inside the line of the town wall, and a ditch in places 7.6m wide and 2.7m deep cut into the sandstone. The wall was built on the top of the rock face. The date of this work is not known. According to Rous, Turchil of Arden, on orders from William the Conqueror, constructed a ditch and gates but did not build walls. Grants of murage in 1305 and 1315 are likely to have been connected with the upkeep of the wall. Outside the wall ran the 'common ditch', mentioned as early as the mid 13th century and possibly following the ditch of Ethelfleda. There were three main gates through the walls, on the N, E and W. Most of the wall had already been demolished by the early 16th century. The town ditch survived, at least in part, into the 15th century. The only remaining sections adjoin the N side of the two gatehouses, but the approximate position of the rest is indicated by the layout of streets which encircle the Old Town. Outside the line of the ditch run the street now called Bowling Green Street, Theatre Street, Joyce Pool, Chapel Street, Gerrard Street, and Mill Street. Inside the wall line are Market Street, Barrack Street and the Butts. In the neighbourhood of the castle modern changes have obscured the pattern, but formerly both Brittain Lane and Back Hills seem to have run inside the line of the walls. There is no mention of a town gate to the S.
2 Plan of Warwick in 1965.
3 Observation of the laying of a new water main in 1997 (WA 8216) located the probable outer edge of the Medieval town ditch at the junction of Market Street and Bowling Green Street.
4 Correspondence from a resident of Warwick with a theory about the lost town walls
5 Plan for
4.
6 A trench dug across the garden of No 3 The Butts uncovered a large 13th century quarry which extended across the line of the defences. Observation and excavation at no 17 found two Medieval pits, of which one contained part of a 14th century face jug. MWA 1992.
7 Notes relating to
6.
8 Planning letter about no. 17.
9 Watching brief maintained in 1991, during the construction of new almshouse south of 4 Bowling Green Street. A section across the town ditch was recorded, just to the north of Westgate. Immediately in front of the standing town wall there was a ragged, rock cut ditch c.8m wide and over 2.5m deep. The western lip of the ditch was c.6.5m below the level of the top of the wall and there was a berm 14m wide to the west. A pit containing clay pipes, dated to c.1680, the first large group from Warwick of this date, confirms the map evidence of the east side of Bowling Green Street being developed between 1610 and 1711, after the defences fell out of use.
10 Please note that this has not been plotted on a map, yet. It is hoped that the publication of the bus station report will enable an accurate plotting based upon both documentary and excavated evidence. GC 29/03/2010
11 The ditch was also recorded on castle Hill. The surviving section was 3.5m across by 2m deep, although its original dimensions would have been significantly larger.
12 A wide ditch that was partly seen in section during the 2008 groundworks for the redevelopment of Warwick bus station on Market Street, but not bottomed, is thought to be part of the town ditch that enclosed the Town. A full section of the ditch was not obtained, nor any stratified pottery which would date when the ditch was infilled. No traces of any associated town wall were seen in this limited work.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 8, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pugh R B (ed)
Date: 1969
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 8
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 8, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pugh R B (ed)
Date: 1969
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 8
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Warwick town walls
Author/originator: Bolton, Mrs Eileen
Date: 1957
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: The Butts, Warwick
Author/originator: WM
Date: 1975
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 12
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: 5,500 Years at Warwick Bus Station, Neolithic, Saxon, Medieval and Later Archaeology at the Bus Interchange, Market Street, Warwick, 2008
Author/originator: Gethin, B, Palmer, S & Pratt, E
Date: 2011
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Note
Title: The Butts, Warwick
Author/originator: Farr M , Booth M and Mytum H C
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Archaeological Observation of Warwick Town Water Main Renewal
Author/originator: Palmer, S
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Plan
Title: Warwick
Author/originator: Bolton, Mrs Eileen
Date: 1957
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMANS no 21
Author/originator:
Date: 1978
Page Number: 94
Volume/Sheet: 21
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 34 (1991)
Author/originator: Darlington, J (ed)
Date: 1992
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 34
   
Source No: 11
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 31
Author/originator: JLP
Date: 1988
Page Number: 27
Volume/Sheet: 31
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Pers. Comm. Giles Carey
Author/originator: G Carey
Date: 2009-2014
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source WMA West Midlands Archaeology. This publication contains a short description for each of the sites where archaeological work has taken place in the previous year. It covers Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. Some of these descriptions include photographs, plans and drawings of the sites and/or the finds that have been discovered. The publication is produced by the Council For British Archaeology (CBA) West Midlands and is published annually. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
source WMANS West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, a publication that was produced each year, this later became West Midlands Archaeology. The West Midlands Arcaheological News Sheet contains reports about archaeological work that was carried out in the West Midlands region in the previous year. It includes information about sites dating from the Prehistoric to the Post Medieval periods. It was produced the Department of Extramural Studies at Birmingham University. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Documentary Evidence Documentary evidence is another name for written records. The first written records in Britain date back to the Roman period. Documentary evidence can take many different forms, including maps, charters, letters and written accounts. When archaeologists are researching a site, they often start by looking at documentary evidence to see if there are clues that will help them understand what they might find. Documentary evidence can help archaeologists understand sites that are discovered during an excavation, field survey or aerial survey. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Neolithic About 4000 BC to 2351 BC

The word ‘Neolithic’ means ‘New Stone Age’. Archaeologists split up the Neolithic period into three phases; early, middle and late. The Neolithic period comes after the Mesolithic period and before the Bronze Age.

People in the Neolithic period hunted and gathered food as their ancestors had but they were also began to farm. They kept animals and grew crops. This meant that they were able to settle more permanently in one location instead of constantly moving from place to place to look for food.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument TOWN WALL * A fortified wall surrounding a town or city. back
monument POOL * A small body of water, either natural or artificial. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument MILL * A factory used for processing raw materials. Use more specific mill type where known. See also TEXTILE MILL, for more narrow terms. back
monument TOWN DITCH * A ditch constructed to surround a town for defensive purposes. back
monument MARKET * An open space or covered building in which cattle, goods, etc, are displayed for sale. back
monument BOWLING GREEN * A closely mown piece of ground used for the game of lawn bowling. back
monument RAMPART * A protective earthen mound, often the main defence of a fortification. back
monument ALMSHOUSE * A house devoted to the shelter of the poor and endowed by a benefactor for this use. back
monument FORTIFICATION * A usually permanent defensive work. Use specific type where known. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. back
monument PIT * A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known. back
monument GATEHOUSE * A gateway with one or more chambers over the entrance arch; the flanking towers housing stairs and additional rooms. Use with wider site type where known. back
monument DEFENCE * This is the top term for the class. See DEFENCE Class List for narrow terms. back
monument TOWN GATE * A highly defensible gateway, usually of stone with two or more storeys, built into the defensive walls of a town or city. back
monument BUTTS * A mound or structure on which an archery, musketry or artillery target is erected. Use specific type where known. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. back
monument BERM * A horizontal surface separating the base of a rampart or earthwork from an associated ditch or moat. Can also refer to a continuously sloping bank of earth against a wall, as in a fortified city wall. back
monument CHAPEL * A freestanding building, or a room or recess serving as a place of Christian worship in a church or other building. Use more specific type where known. back
monument GARDEN * An enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables and/or recreational purposes. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BUS STATION * A building and open area from which buses, usually those working local or regional services, begin or end their journeys. back
monument QUARRY * An excavation from which stone for building and other functions, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc. back
monument GATE * A movable stucture which enables or prevents entrance to be gained. Usually situated in a wall or similar barrier and supported by gate posts. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back
monument THEATRE * A building used primarily for the performing of plays. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record