Warwick Town Wall

Description

The Saxon burgh at Warwick was established by Ethelfleda in 914 to defend Mercia against the Danes. The site commanded the river valley and a natural crossing of the Avon, and was strategically well-placed to control the Fosse Way (VCH). It has previously been assumed that the Medieval line followed the Saxon ramparts. However this has not been confirmed by archaeological investigation. At Barrack Street (WA 2188) the earliest evidence is late 11th - 12th century, and the evidence from Market Street is unconvincing for Saxon material (WA 1988). The defences must have enclosed the area of the Castle to the south, since the Norman work involved demolishing 4 existing houses, and included the Saxon minster in its precincts. E.Klingelhofer suggests that a line, based on street patterns, might have run along Brook Street, The Butts, and the now buried Back Hills. (Warwickshire HER record 2191)

The Eastgate was one of the three main gates of Warwick. Probably reconstructed in early 15th century, when the chapel of St Peter was built above it (PRN 1945). It has a wide arch spanning the original roadway and a smaller arch for pedestrians to the N. The gate was again altered and refaced in the late 18th century; it was probably at this time that the diversion to the S was constructed (VCH). Built before 1426. Plain and heavy gate with pointed tunnel-vault (Pevsner). (Warwickshire HER record 1924)

The W gate was one of three main gates of Warwick. Probably reconstructed in the late 14th century together with the chapel of St James above it. Both were extended W in the following century. The central part of the gateway passage has a pointed and ribbed barrel-vault of the 14th century; at their base the walls are cut through solid rock. On the N side there are traces of an earlier wall and vault, perhaps part of a narrower passage. After the wall was breached and the roadway diverted to the S of the gate, the walks along the S and E sides of the chapel appear to have fallen into disuse. They were rebuilt in 1863-5 (VCH). The gate existed in 1129, and already had a chapel over. The present gate is a most impressive affair. The tunnel-like archway has three parts. Inside in the living rock are semi-octagonal wall shafts which look 13th century. The vault and the E entrance may be early 14th century, the W part of the gate is Early Perpendicular (Pevsner). (Warwickshire HER record 1925)

Comments

Saxon earthwork defences rebuilt in stone. Receive murage grants in 1305 and 1317. Two, of originally three, gates survive, both surmounted by chapels, and short piece of wall.