Wilton Town Defences

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are uncertain remains

NameWilton Town Defences
Alternative NamesCastle Mead
Historic CountryWiltshire
Modern AuthorityWiltshire
1974 AuthorityWiltshire
Civil ParishWilton

Scant traces of Anglo-saxon earthen defences reutilized by medieval town. (Bond)

The town was disastrously caught up in the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. In 1142 Stephen arrived in the town intending to renew its fortifications and use it as a stronghold. Matilda's forces, however, launched an attack before this work was achieved. Stephen fled, the town was burnt and the nunnery violated. This serious though temporary check to the prosperity of the town was followed in the later 12th century by the construction of the city of New Sarum (Salisbury), sited on the banks of the Avon south of Old Sarum. (Mcmahon p. 8)

Gatehouse Comments

The Saxon town was of such importance that it was the county town from which Wiltshire takes its name. However the town failed to develop. The scant traces and the speed and success of Matilda's forces suggest the defences were weak in the C12 and it likely the town was never able to afford to replace them. See also Wilton Abbey suggested as a temporary 'castle' of 1143.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSU096312
Latitude51.0799598693848
Longitude-1.86380004882813
Eastings409600
Northings131200
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 143
  • 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
  • Haslam, J., 1984, 'The Towns of Wiltshire' in J. Haslam (ed.) Anglo-Saxon Towns in southern England (Phillimore) p. 87-147 esp. 125-27 online copy
  • 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
  • Crittall, Elizabeth (ed), 1962, VCH Wiltshire Vol. 6 p. 7-8 online transcription

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86

Primary Sources

  • Sewell, R.C. (ed), 1846, Gesta Stephani, Regis Anglorum et Ducis Normannorum p. 91-92 online copy (The newer edition and translation by Potter, K.R. (ed), 1976 (2edn), Gesta Stephani (Oxford University Press) should be consulted for serious study. See also Speight, S., 2000, 'Castle Warfare in the Gesta Stephani' , Château Gaillard Vol. 19 [see online transcription > http://web.archive.org/web/20101229213751/http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/speight.htm])
  • Stubbs, W. (ed), 1879, The Chronicle of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II, and Richard I, by Gervase, the Monk of Canterbury (London: Longman Rolls Series 73) Vol. 1 p. 125 online copy

Other

  • Mcmahon, Phil, 2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire's Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Wilton (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) online copy