Stockport Town Wall

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameStockport Town Wall
Alternative NamesGreat Underbank
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityStockport
1974 AuthorityGreater Manchester
Civil ParishStockport

Remains of Mediaeval walling interpreted as the remains of Stockport town wall. Excavations and research in the 1970's suggests that the walls are probably revetted bank from the bailey associated with Stockport Castle Documentary evidence supports the existence of the walls.

Gatehouse Comments

Dent suggests the walls are of the castle and the town lay outside this area - A not particularly persuasive suggestion. Dent seems to make this stronghold of a minor lord excessively large. However the walling of the town suggested by Kay is 'tortuous' PastScape–ref. field investigator) and it may be that the' town wall' is merely a succession of masonry underpinnings of houses on steep hillsides, although this itself would function to control access to the market and be defensive.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ896905
Latitude53.411060333252
Longitude-2.15733003616333
Eastings389670
Northings390530
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. 131, 269
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Lancashire and Cheshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 21
  • 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. 70, 250
  • 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. 209
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 3 p. 383- (tenurial history) online copy

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Dent, J.S., 1977, 'Recent excavations on the site of Stockport Castle' Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society Vol. 79 p. 1-13
  • Kay, T., 1896, 'Remains of the Town Wall of Stockport' Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society Vol. 14 p. 55-61