Chipping Ongar Town Defences

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameChipping Ongar Town Defences
Alternative Names
Historic CountryEssex
Modern AuthorityEssex
1974 AuthorityEssex
Civil ParishOngar

Traces of large enclosure probably indicate a planned Norman town which failed to take.

Gatehouse Comments

The large enclosure has been tentatively interpreted as Saxon and the castle as overlaying this but with a large outer bailey containing the town. Description and bibliography in Ongar Castle record.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL552031
Latitude51.7038612365723
Longitude0.246309995651245
Eastings555200
Northings203100
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

  • Oliver Creighton and Stephen Rippon, 2017, 'Conquest, colonisation and the countryside: archaeology and the mid-11th- to mid-12th-century rural landscape' in Dawn M Hadley and Christopher Dyer, The Archaeology of the 11th Century Continuities and Transformations (Routledge) p. 57-87
  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 157 (mention)
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 260, 265
  • Schofield, John and Vince, Alan, 2003(2edn) Medieval Towns (Continuum) p. 55
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 37
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 74
  • 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. 148
  • Eddy, M.R. with Petchey, M.R. (eds), 1983, Historic Towns in Essex: An Archaeological Survey (Essex County Council) p. 39-40
  • 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
  • Powell, W.R., 1956, VCH Essex Vol. 4 p. 155 online transcription
  • RCHME, 1921, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex Vol. 2 (central and south-west) p. 53-4 no. 3 online transcription

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Creighton, O.H., 2004, ''The Rich Man in his Castle, The Poor Man at His Gate': Castle Baileys and Settlement Patterns in Norman England' Cha^teau Gaillard Vol. 21 p. 25-36
  • Bond J., 2001, 'Earthen Castles, Outer Enclosures and the Earthworks at Ascott d'Oilly Castle, Oxfordshire' Oxoniensia Vol. 46 p. 67-8 (Appendix: Earthwork castles with attached village enclosures) online copy
  • Youngs, S.M. et al, 1988 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1987' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 32 p p. 240-1 download copy
  • Priddy, D., 1983, 'Excavations in Essex 1982' Essex Archaeology and History Vol. 15 p. 163-72
  • Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1983, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1982' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 27 p. 175 download copy
  • Eddy, M.R., 1982, 'Chipping Ongar, Banson's Yard' in Priddy, D. (ed), 'Excavations in Essex, 1981' Essex Archaeology and History Vol. 14 p. 136
  • Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1982, 'Medieval Britain in 1981' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 181-2 download copy