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Godmanchester town defences

In the civil parish of Godmanchester.
In the historic county of Huntingdonshire.
Modern Authority of Cambridgeshire.
1974 county of Cambridgeshire.
Medieval County of Huntingdonshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: TL248703
Latitude 52.31882° Longitude -0.16958°

Godmanchester town defences has been described as a Urban Defence although is doubtful that it was such.

There are no visible remains.

Description

Walled Roman Town received earthwork extension to south-west in C9-C11. In Bond's 'of no post-Conquest importance' list.

At Godmanchester the town ditch could have been part of the defence system on the Ouse to create double burghs. Michael Green has traced the town ditch in West Street, East Chadleigh Lane and Earning Street where it followed the Roman defence ditch (Green 1961). Portions of the walls were maintained at least until the eleventh century appear to date to the eleventh- twelfth century, based on the pottery from the section following Earning Street (Green, Site 11, Appendix 2). The area enclosed by the Saxo-Norman town ditch would fit with the later street pattern described in the Hundred Rolls of 1279. (Cambridgeshire Extensive Urban Survey: Godmanchester)

Comments

Roman Walls are recorded in PastScape and the online Cambs HER but without reference to this Saxon work.
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This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:21:01

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