Huntingdon Town Defences

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameHuntingdon Town Defences
Alternative NamesBar Dyke
Historic CountryHuntingdonshire
Modern AuthorityCambridgeshire
1974 AuthorityCambridgeshire
Civil ParishHuntingdon

Bond puts the defences in his 'of no post-Conquest significance' list.

An excavation investigated an earthwork bank and ditch known as the Bar Dyke, which is thought to be of medieval origin, ridge and furrow and the location of a WW1 Royal Flying Corps training camp. Archaeological features included prehistoric ditches, medieval pits and ridge and furrow. Bar Dyke measured 12m wide and nearly 2.5m deep, its scale suggesting that this phase may date from the Civil War, part of the western defences of the town. Pre-dating it was a ditch, 5m wide and c.1m deep, which is likely to be medieval and may represent the dyke or lane mentioned as Bar Dyke in 14th century documents. (Mortimer, 2005)

Gatehouse Comments

No remains of C9 Saxon defences, refortified in C10 or any possible later additions.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL240714
Latitude52.3285789489746
Longitude-0.189840003848076
Eastings524000
Northings271400
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 157 (slight)
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 64, 68, 190, 258
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 19 (mention)
  • Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report 61) p. 92-116 online copy
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 226
  • Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) The plans and topography of medieval towns in England and Wales (CBA Research Report 14) p. 57-71 download/view online
  • Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 42, 162 online copy

Journals

  • Brown, J., 2009, 'Huntingdon, Red Cross HQ, Castle Moat Road' in 'Fieldwork in Cambridgeshire 2008' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol. 98 p. 154 online copy
  • Clarke, R. and Connor, A., 2009, 'Huntingdon, Huntingdon Town Centre' in 'Fieldwork in Cambridgeshire 2008' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol. 98 p. 154 online copy
  • Mortimer, R., 2006, 'Huntingdon, Mill Common' in 'Fieldwork in Cambridgeshire 2005' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol. 95 p. 188 online copy
  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Green, 1973, CBA Group 7 Vol. 20 p. 4

Other

  • Cambridgeshire Extensive Urban Survey: Huntingdon. Draft Report 04/05/2004. online copy