Montgomery Town Defences

Has been described as a Certain Urban Defence

There are earthwork remains

NameMontgomery Town Defences
Alternative NamesTrefaldwyn; Mungumery; Muntgomery; Monte Gomeri
Historic CountryMontgomeryshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityMontgomery

Remains of banks, ditches and, in parts, a counterscarp, define an irregular polygonal circuit, c.660m N-S by c.400m E-W, enclosing the medieval town and castle of Montgomery. The town charter of 1227 allowed the construction of town walls, however the first murage grant does not occur untill 1267. The initial circuit is thought to have been palisaded, replaced by a masonry wall and towers from c.1279, this circuit being depicted as ruined c.1610. (Coflein)

Gatehouse Comments

The 1279 start date for the stone wall comes from Taylor who did not quote the murage grants. A start date for the stone wall of 1267 is not improbable, but O'Neill and Foster-Smith felt the stone wall dated from c. 1230, about the time of the completion of the castle. The castle's keeper was ordered, in 1275, to sell underwood and to apply the money to repairing the walls, dykes and paling of the town and castle.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO222966
Latitude52.5610694885254
Longitude-3.14663004875183
Eastings322270
Northings296650
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 177
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 18, 27, 132, 152, 272
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p. 44
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 149-50
  • 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
  • Soulsby, Ian, 1983, The Towns of Medieval Wales (Phillimore; Chichester) p. 185-7 (plan)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 302
  • Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) p. 57-71 online copy
  • Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 217
  • Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol. 3 (London) p. 449 online copy
  • Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales 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
  • John Davies, 2013, 'Montgomery - 1224 to 1332: A New Town in the Central March of Wales' Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 101 p. 19-56
  • Jones, N.W. and Britnell, W.J., 1998, ‘Montgomery Town Wall: excavation and recording at Plas Du. 1995-97’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 86 p. 5-15
  • Jones, N., 1998, ‘Montgomery. Town defences’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 38
  • Gibson, A., 1990, ‘Kerry Gate. Montgomery’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 30 p. 69
  • Gibson, A., 1990, ‘Montgomery Town Ditch. Montgomery’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 30 p. 69
  • Jones, N.W. and Owen, W.J., 1988. ‘Montgomery Town Walls’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 28 p. 73
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  • Taylor, A.J., 1947. ‘Montgomery Town Walls’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 99 p. 281-3
  • O'Neil, B.H.St J. and Foster-Smith, A.H., 1940, ‘Montgomery Town Wall’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 95 p. 217-28

Guide Books

  • Lloyd, J.D.K. and Knight, J.K., 1981 2 edn, Montgomery Castle, Powys/Castell Trefaldwyn (HMSO) p. 24-7

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903, Calendar of Charter Rolls Henry III 1226-1257 Vol. 1 (HMSO) p. 10 (borough charter) online copy
  • Brut y Tywysogion 1231 (Several transcriptions and translations exist the best being Jones, T., 1952, Brut Y Twysogion (University of Wales, History and Law series 11)–based on the Peniarth MS 20 version. There is a flawed translation Williams ab Ithel, John, 1860, Brut Y Twysogion or The Chronicle of the Princes (Rolls Series) online copy)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1266-1272) p. 106; (1272-1281) p. 248; (1281-1291) p. 474; (1313-1317) p. 278; (1317-1321) p. 590; (1327-1330) p. 31; (1334-1338) p. 339 (murage grants) online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1901, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1272-81) Vol. 1 p. 104 (power to sell underwood and use proceeds for castle and town walls) 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]. < >