More information : [Centred TQ742686] The Roman Town wall at Rochester was
recognised by Payne as the core in parts of the extant medieval
fortifications. Payne traced the whole of the course except for a
short length in the north-west.
In Bishops Ermilf's time [early 12th c.] the south side of the Roman
wall was partly destroyed and a boundary was built diagonally
across the ditch. In 1225 a great ditch was dug and in the south this
necessitated the building of a new wall, the foundations of which havebeen traced underground, 120 ft. from the line of the old Roman
wall. In 1344 another wall was built outside 1225 line but the ditch
outside was never completed. Scheduled. [Livett's plan has proved
generally acceptable but innacuracies have been noted.]
[Hope's evidence, particularly in respect of the conjectural line
in St. Margarets street, has been preferred] (1-7)
Some excavations have been carried out on the City Wall and ditch in
the vicinity of the Deanery Garden (TQ 74336841) by Mr. A.C. Harrison
of The Lower Medway Arch. Research Group; full results are to be
published.
In the light of this work, some revision of Livetts and Hope's
reconstructions may be necessary.
For details, see map diagram.
See GPs AO/51/43/4-6 (8)
Report of 1960-66 excavations of Md defences. (9)
Town Walls. Grade I. Partial survival of Mediaeval city walls;
battlements and good angle tower in Free School Lane. (10)
Additional bibliography. (11-22)
(For component records of Medieval sites in Rochester see TQ 76 NW:
93, 94, 95, 97, 98 and 99).
Rochester City Walls (formerly listed as the Town Walls).
City walls. Mainly C13 and C14, incorporating Roman remains, with later patching and partial rebuilding. [Full architectural
description] LISTED GRADE I. Scheduled Ancient Monument. (23)
In 1086 Rochester was a city. In 1227 a charter of HenryIII granted to the citizens of Rochester a merchant guild, the fee-farm of the city and other privileges. In 1446 Rochester was incorporated. (24) |