More information : Approximate site of Town Gate with lighthouse over it (at TM 26103244). Lighthouse sited from OS 1:500 at TM 26113243. (1)
The town defences appear to consist of moat flanked by an earthen rampart with inner berm or walk (plotted on record 6"). A gate is depicted as an arched structure north of a bridge crossing the moat at the south end of west street - approximating to the above site. (2)
Foundations of Harwich Castle and other fortifications were revealed by an extraordinary ebb tide in 1784. (3)
Excavations in 1972 at the Quay Pavilion, Harwich, located a succession of medieval and later quays and jetties; the earliest dated 13th century were of masonry. (4)
No extant remains of Harwich town defences survive today, though the course of the fortifications can be traced from early maps (auth 2). Cox's Pond (TM 26083231) is said to represent the remains of the moat (a) though this was not confirmed. The town was walled in the 16th century (b) and probable wall foundations were found by excavation at TM 25903277 (auth 4 report). See illustration card (c). (5)
In 1539 it is reported that with encouragement from the towns people of Harwich were strengthening their medieval walls with tranchets and earthern bulwarks. In 1543 the king visited Harwich and a decision was made to fortify the town. A total of £21300 was made available for the king's fortresses at Harwich. Three Bulworks were built - `the tower house', `middle house' and `the house upon the hill'. They were described by Edward VI in 1553 as `bulworkers of earth and board'. They had a short life and by 1588 two of them had been `pulled down' by a local inhabitat. In the year of the Armada (1588) £21000 was allocated towards the fortification of Harwich, but there is no evidence that any permanent defences resulted. (6)
Additional references to town's history. (7-8) |