More information : (Centred SX 919925) City Walls (NR) (Several places) (1)
The city walls of Exeter have been proved to originate in Roman times
(see SX 99 SW 12). The medieval and later walls (as shown on OS maps
for the full circuit of the city) were essentially the Roman walls
extensively rebuilt and repaired at various times (and there were many occasions of threat when it would have been prudent for Exeter to look to its defences, from sub-Roman times right up to the Civil War, when the city was twice besieged, and even later - see Authorities 5 and 6).
The Roman ditch, becoming the Town ditch, seems to have been
similarly maintained, and survived up to the 18th or 19th century
(though its extent does not seem to have been fully ascertained, and
it may never have existed on the SW and NW sides of the city, where
there were respectively the Exe and the slopes of the Longbrook
valley). The four main city gates, which were demolished in the 18th
and 19th centuries, almost certainly occupied the sites of the Roman
gates, although this has only been proved at the South Gate. The
origin of the various wall turrets and bastions is uncertain. The
only one excavated (SX 99 SW 15.4) proved to be 17th century on a 13thcentury base, but others were possibly roman or Dark Ages in the firstplace. The tradition that the walls, with turrets, were built by Athelstan derives from William of Malmesbury, but can only mean that the walls were of remote antiquity (and therefore Roman) when he wrote in about 1130. There could, however, have been extensive Saxon repairwork which came to be regarded as the original construction.
(See Map Diagram and subordinate cards). (2-6)
Similar information. (7)
Exeter is mentioned in c1018 when a reference is made to the borough court. In 1050 Exeter was a cathedral city and in 1086 it was a city with 285 houses belonging to the king.(8) |