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Somerset Historic Environment Record
| Site Name: | Medieval town defences, Bridgwater | ||
| Civil Parish: | Bridgwater | ||
| Part of: |
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| Grid Ref: | ST 299 301 (ST 23 SE) | ||
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The public accessibility of this site is unknown or has not been checked. Please ask locally and do not visit without permission. [Information last updated on 21 May 2003]
Bridgwater was probably never walled, but had four gates and a moat. The gates were of iron under stone arches and were removed some years before 1878. The N gate was outside King's Square (PRN 12390). The S gate was in the lower part of St Mary Street (PRN 12433). The E gate spanned the roadway where the present Queen's Head stands in Eastover (PRN 12393). The W gate was by the corner at Penel Orlieu (PRN 12432). The moat extended from the N gate to the W gate, hence along Moat Lane. Today there are no surface indications of gates or ditches. {1}
Excavations 1983 (PRN 12442) located the ditch at ST29683677. It probably ran into Durleigh Brook at this point, the brook forming town defence on S side. {5}
Workmen in the 1970s located an area of softground that required piling at ST29483693. It was thought to be the town moat. During the building of the Westminster bank at ST 29843712 a further section of moat was seen. {6}
| 1 | Detailed records - Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division record card. Record ID: ST 23 NE 20 (1978) Location: HER files |
| 2 | Mention - Collinson, J 1791 "History of Somerset" vol. 3, 75 |
| 3 | Mention - Jarman, S.G 1889 "History of Bridgwater", 260 |
| 4 | Mention - Parker, G. [Bridgwater]. Somerset Archaeology and Natural History. 23 (1877), 46-47 |
| 5 | Excavation report - Ellis, P "Excavations at Friarn St ..." Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society 129 (1985), 69-80 |
| 6 | Mention - Bridgwater Excavation Committee Note 1974 |
Record created in November 1982
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