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Wilton Town Defences

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castle Mead

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

This site has been described as a;
Urban Defence.
  Confidence: It is probable that this site was a medieval fortification or palace.   Uncertain remains.
Scant traces of Anglo-saxon Earthen defences reutilized by medieval town.
The town was disastrously caught up in the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. In 1142 Stephen arrived in the town intending to renew its fortifications and use it as a stronghold. Matilda’s forces, however, launched an attack before this work was achieved. Stephen fled, the town was burnt and the nunnery violated. This serious though temporary check to the prosperity of the town was followed in the later 12th century by the construction of the city of New Sarum (Salisbury), sited on the banks of the Avon south of Old Sarum. (Mcmahon p8)
The scant traces and the speed and success of Matilda's forces suggest the defences were weak in the C12 and it likely the town was never able to afford to replace them
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU096312

Air Photo from multimap logo

Air Photo and general mapping

1st edition OS Map from old maps logo

Mid to late 19th century maps

Modern Map from Ordnance Survey logo

Landscape form and features

Modern Map from streetmap logo

General location and route planning

Geograph British Isles geography.org.uk logo
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 214654
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is SU03SE601 '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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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
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This record last updated on Thursday, December 17, 2009

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