Wiltune |
Hob Uid: 214654 | |
Location : Wiltshire Wilton
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Grid Ref : SU0959231192 |
Summary : A 9th century burh, major royal seat and town which continued to be important until the 11th century. The town was plundered and burnt by Sweyn's army in 1003. Part of the probable Burghal Hideage defensive boundary bank survives as an earthwork bank 50 metres long and up to 1.3 metres high. It is situated on low ground and is skirted on the north by a stream which has effaced any evidence of an outer ditch. The bank may represent the only visible remains of the town defences but it seems to be largely of earth construction. Excavations have identified a ditch, seven metres wide and at least one metre deep, which was cut into the river gravel. Only the upper layers were excavated due to the presence of water. Recorded features included posts and possible wattle work, while no dating evidence was obtained it may be related to the bank. |
More information : Wilton was established as the royal seat of the kingdom of Wessex by the 9th century and the king had a palace there under the traditional style of Kingsbury. Wilton is listed as a burh in the 9th century. It flourished in the 11th century as a result of the royal patronage of Wilton Abbey. Sweyn's Danish army plundered and burnt the town in 1003. (SU0931). (1) Traces of an earthwork were visible in Castle Mead in 1909, assumed by Stratton to be Wilton Castle "a mere earthwork left from Saxon times". The name "Castle Mede" occurs in the Pembroke Survey of 1562. (2) Examination took place of part of the probable Burghal Hideage defensive boundary bank (early 10th century). At a point SU 09403140, southwest of St Johns Chapel, the bank was 0.7metres wide and running northeast-southwest. (3) Excavations in 1971 by D H Hill of Southampton University parallel to the trial trench recorded in WAM 66 191, revealed at SU 09383139 a ditch 7 metres wide and cut at least 1 metre deep into the river gravel. Only the upper layers were excavated because of the presence of water; there were posts and possibly wattle work below water level on the south side and while no dating evidence was obtained it may be related to the bank previously noted. (4) (SU 09403140 (5)) Part of the fortifications may have been revealed during 1971 excavations in the old priory grounds where a trial trench showed nine feet of chalk wall with traces of masonry below a chalk bank dated to the 11th century. (5) The earthwork in Castle Mead is a badly damaged bank 50 metres long and up to 1.3 metres high, extending from SU 09683154 to SU 09733154. It lies on low ground and is skirted on the north by a stream which has effaced any evidence of an outer ditch. The bank may represent the only visible remains of the town defences but it seems to be largely of earth construction. There are no surface indications at the other points where excavation has taken place; the area dug in 1971 was delineated by the tenant of No 2 St Johns Almshouses and centred at SU 09373138. (6)
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