Knaresborough Town Defences
Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence
There are no visible remains
| Name | Knaresborough Town Defences |
| Alternative Names | Chenaresburg |
| Historic Country | Yorkshire |
| Modern Authority | North Yorkshire |
| 1974 Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Civil Parish | Knaresborough |
The remains of a ditch and rampart, forming a rectangle 900 by 600 ft. and possibly a Roman fort, can be traced at Knaresborough (Hargrove, 1832).
There are no remains of this feature. Hargrove's plan can be seen by ground inspection to enclose the highest and oldest part of the town. It is probable, therefore, that this former earthwork represented the boundary of the burgus to Knaresborough Castle, and not a Roman fort (F1 RWE 11-JAN-63). (PastScape)
Chenaresburg in Domesday.
Place name means 'Cenheard's fortification (EPNS). (North Yorkshire HER)
Anciently called Knaresburgh, (i.e. a fortress on a craggy rock) situated on the Eastern bank of the river Nidd, eighteen miles from York, in the West-Riding of Yorkshire, diocese of Chester, and wapentake of Claro, is a town great antiquity, and formerly a place of considerable strength being well fortified by natural inaccessible cliffs next to the river and on parts by a high rampart, the remains of which yet discernible.
The terrace at the Crown Inn, and several other is in the gardens on that side of the town, were raised upon this ancient rampart; from each of which is a very extensive view of a beautiful country, bounded on one side by the Yorkshire Wolds, and on the other by the dark mountains of Hambleton, including a large variegated tract of waving enclosures, woods, and villages; amongst which is seen the city of York, at the distance of eighteen miles. The most complete piece of this fortification now remaining is in the garden adjoining upon Grace-Church-Street; it is a considerable height from the street and was strengthened by several artificial mounts, one of which still remains
These were probably placed within bow-shot on each other, the whole length of the rampart, from where is the garrison might watch the motions of an enemy, and repel every hostile approach.
This mode of fortification was peculiar to the Saxons, though we find very little mention made of this place before the Norman conquest. Yet wrong its facility to the Roman road, and the advantages of the situation, it could scared escape the notice of that warlike people, and it is a well known the Saxons erected their castles or forts, when they call it on Roman foundations, and gave them the name of Burgh or Brough. (Hargrove 1843)
Gracious Street. Because there have been several places are worship on or near Gracious Street it has been incorrectly assumed that 'gracious' is an appropriate name derived from the presence of chapels and churches. The name, however, is derived from Anglo-Saxon gracht hus (literally 'ditch houses'), and referes to houses built on what Hargrove described as the town's main ditch, or defensive moat, which became an open sewer. This ran along what is now Gracious Street, and what in the nineteenth century was even called Grace Church Street. (Kellet )
Not scheduled
Not Listed
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SE351569 |
| Latitude | 54.0073585510254 |
| Longitude | -1.46475994586945 |
| Eastings | 435100 |
| Northings | 456900 |
