Portchester Burghal Defences
Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence
There are major building remains
| Name | Portchester Burghal Defences |
| Alternative Names | Porchester |
| Historic Country | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight |
| Modern Authority | Hampshire |
| 1974 Authority | Hampshire |
| Civil Parish | Fareham |
The Saxon shore fort at Portchester is a well preserved example of its class. The entire defensive circuit survives with very little later modification. Within and around the fort there is significant evidence for its later use. The tower keep castle is an outstanding and well known example which demonstrates in its fabric a complex history of use and modification, while the 10th century defensive burh and the 12th century priory give the site an unusual dimension in terms of the range of uses to which it was put. Excavations over the years have demonstrated the extent to which remains of all aspects of its use and development survive. Both the shore fort and castle are in the care of the Secretary of State and are open to the public.
Excavations within the fort, primarily those carried out on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries between 1961 and 1979, have shown traces of timber buildings laid out beside a regular grid of streets and provided evidence of both civilian and military occupation up to the end of Roman Britain and beyond. The excavations have also shown evidence of settlement dating to the mid- fifth and to the seventh to ninth centuries AD. Sunken floored huts, timber houses and ancillary buildings were found, after which a break in occupation is marked by the extensive dumping of rubbish in the interior of the fort. In AD 904 Portchester was acquired by King Edward the Elder and became a defended burh. Within it excavations have shown buildings dating to the 10th and 11th centuries, including a large aisled hall, and a rectangular stone building around which a cemetery developed. The Watergate in the east wall was probably rebuilt before the Norman Conquest, with a gatehouse built in the southern half of the Roman opening. (Scheduling Report)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
This is a Grade 1 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 Reference | SU624045 |
| Latitude | 50.8371887207031 |
| Longitude | -1.11398994922638 |
| Eastings | 462480 |
| Northings | 104560 |
