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Tamworth town defences

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Walfurlong; 'Offa's Dyke'; King's Ditches

In the civil parish of Tamworth.
In the historic county of Staffordshire.
Modern Authority of Staffordshire.
1974 county of Staffordshire.
Medieval County of Staffordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SK207041
Latitude 52.63229° Longitude -1.69885°

Tamworth town defences has been described as a certain Urban Defence.

There are no visible remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

No remains of Mediaeval defences of Tamworth. Apparently continued to use the defensive line of the Saxon burh before going out of use at some time between the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. Broad ditch with a bank topped by a wall. (PastScape)

The town defences of Tamworth have been variously known as the Walfurlong, 'Offa's Dyke' and the King's Ditches. Excavation has determined that the broad ditch, and bank topped by a wall were built on the line of the Saxon burh, and went out of us between the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. (PastScape–ref. Gould, 1967)

At Tamworth the earliest defences were of relatively slight construction and may have marked the boundary of the Mercian royal palace rather than of any specifically urban development (Gould, 1967-8, 18; 1968-9, 33-8). It is in any case not yet possible to show the Anglo-Saxon date of the internal street pattern, let alone to assign it to a pre-Æthelflædan date, or to demonstrate that it formed a planned system comparable to that of the Wessex burhs. (Martin Biddle in Bond, 1975)
Comments

These were mainly in medieval Staffordshire since the Warwickshire side of the town was protected by the river. (Until the C19 the county boundary ran through the centre of the town). Two small areas of the circuit are scheduled; a plot on the river just west of the castle and a plot near the NE corner of the circuit on Albert Street.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

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Sources of information, references and further reading
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This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:20:09

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