Old Winchelsea Town Wall

Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameOld Winchelsea Town Wall
Alternative NamesWinceleseia; Winchenesel; Winchelsay
Historic CountrySussex
Modern AuthorityEast Sussex
1974 AuthorityEast Sussex
Civil ParishIcklesham

Vanished C13 stone walls of deserted and sea encroached town of Old Winchelsea.

Gatehouse Comments

The exact location is uncertain. A great storm in 1250 probably breached the shingle spit on which the town was built, and by 1280 the town was mostly submerged. Murage granted in 1262 and 1269 'because of the imminent peril from the waves and the violence of the sea which constantly threatens the town, so that they may provide obstacles against such peril and floods.' While it is sometimes suggested these were 'defensive' walls (implying defence from human attack) it is clear the walls were sea defences.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ914171
Latitude50.9213600158691
Longitude0.769079983234406
Eastings591470
Northings117190
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 262
  • 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. 2

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 190?, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1258-66) Vol. 5 p. 226 (murage grant) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1913, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1266-72) Vol. 6 p. 357 (murage grant) online copy
  • - < >Also see the Gatehouse murage pages for full details of murage [grants > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/murindex.html], [petitions > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/mupindex.html ] and [other such > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/muaindex.html]. < >