Ipswich Town Defences

Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameIpswich Town Defences
Alternative NamesGippewico
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishIpswich

The defences of the Medieval Town of Ipswich consisted of an earthen ditch and rampart with entrances into the town through the north and west gates (see TM 14 SE 38,43). The rampart enclosing the town was constructed in 1204. (PastScape ref. West and Charman 1963)

No remains of medieval town wall. (Bond 1987)

Gatehouse Comments

There certainly was a ditch (over 4m wide) but the evidence for a wall is less clear and it may never have a complete circuit even if it was built in C14 as is suggested by some evidence. Encrouchment on the ditch was extensive by C15 and there is no real trace of a ditch on Speeds map of 1610. The ditch may predate 1203 when they are recorded as being dug (or possible enlarged). PastScape records ditch with suggestion of some remains but does not give accurate location. Five years murage granted in 1299. Licence to crenellate issued in 1352 along with six years murage, although this murage was revoked in 1354.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTM164437
Latitude52.0586013793945
Longitude1.15067005157471
Eastings616400
Northings243700
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 79
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 60, 72, 156, 179, 264
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 9
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 80
  • Wade, Keith, 1999 (3edn), 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Ipswich' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p. 158-9
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 239 (slight)
  • 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. 2 p. 461
  • Dunmore, S. et al, 1976, Ipswich Archaeological survey; second interim report (Dereham: East Anglian Archaeology 3) p. 135-40
  • 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
  • Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 126
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co) p. 226
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 297 online copy
  • Grose, Francis, 1785 (new edn orig 1756), Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol. 5 p. 72-3 online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • 2003, 'Archaeology in Suffolk 2002' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 40.3 p. 362 (slight - ditch) online copy
  • Owles, E.J., 1975, 'Archaeology in Suffolk, 1975' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 33.3 p. 325-6 online copy
  • Owles, E.J., 1971, 'The west gate of Ipswich' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 32.2 p. 164-7 online copy
  • West, S.E., 1963, 'Excavations at Cox Lane (1958) and at the Town Defences, Shire Hall Yard, Ipswich (1959). (with reports by G.C. Dunning, R.H.M. Dolley and D. Charman)' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 29 Part 3 p. 233-303 online copy [online copy (The documentary evidence) > http://suffolkinstitute.pdfsrv.co.uk/customers/Suffolk%20Institute/2014/01/10/Volume%20XXIX%20Part%203%20(1963)_The%20documentary%20evidence%20(Ipswich%20excavations)%20in%20West%201963)%20D%20Charman_301%20to%20303.pdf]
  • (West), 1960, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 4 p. 150 download copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1907, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1350-54) Vol. 9 p. 314 (licence to crenellate) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1292-1301) Vol. 3 p. 421 (murage grant) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1907, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1350-54) Vol. 9 p. 314 (murage grant) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1909, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1354-58) Vol. 10 p. 144 (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]. < >