Dunster Town Wall

Has been described as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameDunster Town Wall
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySomerset
Modern AuthoritySomerset
1974 AuthoritySomerset
Civil ParishDunster

New post-Conquest medieval defensive circuits mainly or wholly of masonry ? Dunster; new post-Conquest medieval defences; Stone walls; Position largely or wholly unknown; circumstantial or secondary evidence only; no archaeological excavation. (Bond)

Gatehouse Comments

Was a borough by the late C11 and a port (the sea has since retreated from the town). What was Bond's 'circumstantial' evidence for defences? Gathercole's Archaeological Assessment is a comprehensive review of the archaeological and historical evidence and mentions nothing of possible defensive stone walls. There are no suggestive street names. The town layout is not suggestive of a defensive site. The query mark in Bond's listing suggest he doubted this as a defended town. Should probably be rejected as the site of an urban defence but left as questionable by Gatehouse until Bond's 'circumstantial' evidence can be properly considered. Map reference for parish church.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSS990436
Latitude51.1832084655762
Longitude-3.44578003883362
Eastings299040
Northings143650
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

  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 257
  • 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

Other

  • Gathercole, C., 2002, An Archaeological Assessment of Dunster (English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey) online copy