Malmesbury Town Defences

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Caer-Bladon; Ingleburn

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

Bond writes Anglo-saxon earthworks of no post Conquest importance. System by which responsibility for the maintenance of the defences was allotted was recorded in late C13. PastScape report 'Saxon and Medieval town defences (site and remains of) at Malmesbury. The town walls were originally built when Malmesbury became a burh in the late C9 or early C10. It is thought that they were rebuilt in the late C12 or early C13 to enclose a larger circuit than the Saxon burh. Gates existed on the East (extant), South and West sides, the latter having a Northern postern gate. The Abbey prevented access from the North. Only parts of the East side and gate survive.' Also reports that North garden wall of Abbey House sits atop C12 town wall.
The medieval town was bounded by defensive stone walls (MM011), believed to have been erected by Bishop Roger of Salisbury (1136-9). Although much repaired and altered above ground at least, the line of the walls still survives for much of the circuit. The best-preserved section is along the east of the town besides the Nun’s Walk. (Urban Survey Malmesbury)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST93578734

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 212606
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is ST98NW479 '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.

• Web site links
  • http://www.ogdoad.force9.co.uk/alfred/alfhidage.htm
    http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/smr/getsmr.php?id=5335
    http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/smr/getsmr.php?id=5306
• Books
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p128, 230, 256
    2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire’s Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Malmesbury (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-906-1/dissemination/pdf/EUS_Texts/Malmesbury.pdf
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p503
    Haslam, Jeremy with Edwards, Annette, 1976, Wiltshire towns: the archaeological potential p35-6
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) p57-71
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p198
• Journal Articles
  • Longman, T., 2006, Iron Age and later defences at Malmesbury: excavations 1998-2000' Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine Vol99 p104-64
    Rees, 1945, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol51 p187-92
    Brakspear, 1930, Archaeological Journal Vol87 p458
    1922, 'Proceedings of the Annual Summer Meeting at Tetbury and Malmesbury 22nd July 1922' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol44 p28 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v044/bg044013.pdf
    Ballard A. and Beteman, M., 1906, English Historical Review Vol21 p98-105 http://www.archive.org/details/englishhistorica21londuoft
    1891-2, 'Transactions at Malmesbury' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol16 p1 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v016/bg016001.pdf
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/wilshireeng.html#wilts4]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p487