Wells City Wall

Has been described as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameWells City Wall
Alternative NamesWelles
Historic CountrySomerset
Modern AuthoritySomerset
1974 AuthoritySomerset
Civil ParishWells

Roman settlement, Saxon and Medieval town. There is documentary evidence for medieval intent to build town defences. The Medieval borough was created in 1174. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

A licence to crenellate and, three days later, a grant of murage for 5 years in 1341 to the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses. The licence to crenellate was revoked shortly afterward (per considerationem curie) and presumably the murage was not collected. Bond writes C14 Stone walls planned but probably never built or never completed. There is probably some confusion between the walls of the extensive cathedral close (ibid) (the work of the Bishop, Dean and Chapter) licensed in 1340 but possible not completed until licensed again in 1451 and any defences planed by the town (Mayor and burgesses). Quite what the specific problems the church had with town walls are not expressed. However, town walls would have allowed the town to control access to pilgrims (some of whom may well have had contagious diseases) and to more effectively collect market tolls. The Cathedral would not have wanted anything to either reduce the number of pilgrims or the amount of money they had available to spend on the churches goods and services. Map reference for the very large St Cuthbert's parish church of Wells which certainly would have been in the intended circuit of the walls.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST546456
Latitude51.2084007263184
Longitude-2.65037989616394
Eastings354600
Northings145600
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 157 (slight)
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 26, 48, 207, 218, 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
  • Haslam, Jeremy (ed), 1984, Anglo-Saxon towns in southern England p. 193-4
  • Faull, Margaret L. (ed), 1984, Studies in late Anglo-Saxon settlement p. 16
  • Aston, M. and Leech, R., 1977, Historic towns in Somerset (Bristol: Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset) p. 147-154
  • 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. 200

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Coulson, Charles, 1993 Aug, 'Specimens of Freedom to Crenellate by Licence' Fortress: The castles and fortifications quarterly Vol. 18 p. 3-15 (reprinted in Liddiard, Robert (ed), 2016, Late Medieval Castles (Boydell Press) p. 221-240)
  • Rodwell, W., 1980, Current Archaeology Vol. 73 p. 38-44

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1916, Calendar of Charter Rolls 15 Edward III - 5 Henry V 1341-1417 Vol. 5. (HMSO) p. 6-7 (licence to crenellate) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1340-43) Vol. 5 p. 248 (murage grant) online copy
  • - < >Also see the Gatehouse murage pages for full details of murage [grants > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/murindex.html], [petitions > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/mupindex.html ] and [other such > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/murage/muaindex.html]. < >