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Somerset Historic Environment Record
| Site Name: | Saxon and medieval town defences, Langport |
| Civil Parish: | Langport |
| Grid Ref: | ST 4212 2695 (ST 42 NW) ST 4232 2677 (ST 42 NW) ST 4214 2665 (ST 42 NW) ST 4210 2668 (ST 42 NW) |
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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]
Earthworks survive in two main areas but presumably the defences surrounded the town (i) ST42122695-ST42322677. About 50m NW of the Hanging Chapel a steep artificial scarp first appears in the garden of the Convent. This runs WNW for about 122m and then N, where it is less evident and has been modified on its E side by the creation of a C19 carriage drive. The earthworks appear strongly again at the SE corner and run W in an arc for about 120m, ending at the top of a steep slope down to North Street. This section is well preserved, standing 4m high. There are slight indications of a ditch (ii) ST42142665-ST42012668. Further defences around Whatley Hill The general historical and topographical arguments suggest that these earthworks are the town defences, stated to be 2400ft in length in the Burghal Hideage. Seems likely that the S slopes facing the Parrett valley were not artificially defended. The parish boundary between Langport and Huish Episcopi runs along the base of the earthworks. The boundary must therefore be either contemporary or later. Documentary evidence suggests that the parish boundaries may have been fixed as early as 1065 when adjacent areas were granted to the Bishopric of Wells. {4}
See PRN 54140 for burh and PRN 55155 for possible Civil War defences. Excavation (PRN 55459) immediately N of the Hanging Chapel located the Saxon bank but found no evidence for any later defences. {6}
A survey of the remains, including slope profiles, was undertaken in 2003. {7}
| 1 | Description - Page, W. Victoria History of the County of Somerset. Vol. 2 (1911), 524. |
| 2 | Description - Warren, F. Earthworks at Langport. Somerset Archaeology and Natural History. 11 (1861-2), 194-96 |
| 3 | Detailed records - Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division 1978 ST42NW24 (SCC Planning Department) |
| 4 | Detailed records - Entry found in HER database with no supporting documentation - entry just said 'in SMR file' where nothing was found. This is believed to have been a note that was typed up and then discarded. Location: Unknown or non-existant. |
| 5 | Mention - Victoria County History of Somerset 1974 vol 3, 16 |
| 6 | Excavation report - Graham, AH 'Archaeol. investigations ... to the N of the Hanging Chapel, Langport' unpublished report (1996) in HER files |
| 7 | Detailed records - Treasure, G. To what extent can an archaeological survey reveal the development of town defences in Langport, Somsert. Unpublished 'A' Level Coursework (2004) Copy in HER files |
| 8 | Site visit report - Burrow, I. SCC (04/12/1979) |
Record created in December 1985
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