The Gatehouse website record for Cricklade Town Wall

In the civil parish of Cricklade. In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

Nineth century burh of Cricklade, fortified by 919 or possibly earlier. The town is surrounded by a square earthwork now surviving as a low bank. The present circuit extends for 2073 metres, the equivalent of 1650 hides. Version A of the Burghal Hidage attributes 1400 hides to Cricklade, while Version B attributes 1500 hides. Excavations have discerned four elements of the circuit; a timber-revetted clay and turf bank; a double-ditch system externally; an intra-mural walkway around the inner face of the bank; a simple tower at each corner inside the bank. A stone wall, 4 feet thick at the base, was added to the front of the bank, probably early in the 10th century. Haslam notes that the parish boundary of the former parish of St Mary's, now a `ward', was in existence by 985, and he suggests that it reflects a Saxon land division designed to support the defence of the north sector of the town. (PastScape)
The original Alfredian defensive system consisted of a 6m wide clay bank surrounding by a triple ditch arrangement. The banks formed a rough square with sides 510 – 550m long, and a narrow walkway of laid stones ran along their inner face. Extensive weathering and levelling have meant that it is not now possible to estimate the original height of the bank or what form of stockade stood upon it. 5.4.3. In the 10th or 11th century the defences were strengthened by the construction of a stone wall set into the outer edge of the bank, with a second lesser revetment supporting the inner face of the rampart. Both were apparently levelled quite soon after they were built. Haslam (1984) attributes this phase to the strengthening of defences by Ethelred and their subsequent slighting by Cnut. He expresses the belief that it was policy to remove such defences from towns, and is not evidence that the town itself was under attack at this time. (Urban Survey Cricklade p9)
It is probably the town was refortified during the Anarchy (see Cricklade qv), although that refortification may have involved no, or only slight, building.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU103933

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 222196
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is SU19SW400; SU09SE400 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

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