Tamworth town defences

Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameTamworth town defences
Alternative NamesWalfurlong; 'Offa's Dyke'; King's Ditches
Historic CountryStaffordshire
Modern AuthorityStaffordshire
1974 AuthorityStaffordshire
Civil ParishTamworth

No remains of Mediaeval defences of Tamworth. Apparently continued to use the defensive line of the Saxon burh before going out of use at some time between the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. Broad ditch with a bank topped by a wall. (PastScape)

The town defences of Tamworth have been variously known as the Walfurlong, 'Offa's Dyke' and the King's Ditches. Excavation has determined that the broad ditch, and bank topped by a wall were built on the line of the Saxon burh, and went out of us between the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. (PastScape–ref. Gould, 1967)

At Tamworth the earliest defences were of relatively slight construction and may have marked the boundary of the Mercian royal palace rather than of any specifically urban development (Gould, 1967-8, 18; 1968-9, 33-8). It is in any case not yet possible to show the Anglo-Saxon date of the internal street pattern, let alone to assign it to a pre-Æthelflædan date, or to demonstrate that it formed a planned system comparable to that of the Wessex burhs. (Martin Biddle in Bond, 1975)

Gatehouse Comments

These were mainly in medieval Staffordshire since the Warwickshire side of the town was protected by the river. (Until the C19 the county boundary ran through the centre of the town). Two small areas of the circuit are scheduled; a plot on the river just west of the castle and a plot near the NE corner of the circuit on Albert Street.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSK207041
Latitude52.6322898864746
Longitude-1.69885003566742
Eastings420700
Northings304100
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 138
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 56, 59, 266
  • 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 p. 453
  • 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
  • Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 122
  • Lynam, Charles, 1908, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm. (ed), VCH Staffordshire Vol. 1 p. 355 online copy
  • Doubleday, H.A. and Page, Wm (eds), 1904, VCH Warwickshire Vol. 1 p. 397-8 online copy
  • Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 34 online copy
  • Clark, G.T., 1884, Mediaeval Military Architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol. 2 p. 481-2 online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Sheridan, K., 1974-5, 'Ninth report of excavations at Tamworth, Staffs, 1972: a section through the defences at Bell Inn Corner' Transactions of the South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 16 p. 54-7
  • (Wainwright), 1974, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 18 p. 184 download copy
  • Sheridan, K., 1972-3, 'Seventh report of excavations at Tamworth, Staffs: a section through the northern defences excavated by Dr F T Wainwright in 1960' Transactions of the South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 14 p. 38-44
  • Sheridan, K., 1972-3, 'Sixth report of excavations at Tamworth, Staffs: a section through the Saxon and medieval defences, Albert Road' Transactions of the South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 14
  • (Sheriden),1972, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 16 p. 161 download copy
  • Radford, C.A.R., 1970, 'The later pre-Conquest boroughs and their defences' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 14 p. 91-4 download copy
  • (Gould), 1969, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 13 p. 239-40 online copy
  • Gould, J., 1968-9, 'Third report on excavations at Tamworth, Staffs., 1968 - the western entrance to the Saxon borough' Transactions of the South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 10 p. 32-42
  • (Gould), 1968, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 12 p. 160, 185 download copy
  • Gould, J., 1967, 'First report of the excavations at Tamworth (1967) - The Saxon defences' Transactions of the South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 9 p. 17-29

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 37 online copy
  • Historic England, 2015, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2015 (London: Historic England) p. 37 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 37 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 37 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 49 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 48 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 49 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 57 online copy