Hereford |
| Hob Uid: 110136 | |
Location :
County of Herefordshire
Hereford
|
| Grid Ref : SO5100039800 |
| Summary : Early Medieval and later settlement and town. It is not known when the first permanent settlement was established, and although there is no positive evidence for Roman settlement, the road south from the fort at Leintwardine heads for a ford at Hereford. The Diocese of Hereford was founded in 676, although there is no positive documentary record of a cathedral until 803, by which time it is likely that there would have been a small settlement servicing the cathedral. About the mid 9th century the main part of the town was enclosed with a bank and ditch. The defences were completely rebuilt in earth and timber towards the end of the century and extended to the east to enclose St Guthlac's Monastery. The earth and timber defences were later rebuilt in stone, probably between 901-40. Following the Norman Conquest a new town with a vast market place was laid out to the north of the Saxon burh, but it was not until 1189 that the town was granted its first charter and empowered to fortify the town. The new defensive works included a substantial extension to the north. The city was beseiged by the Scots army during the Civil War in 1645. |
More information : Only the sparsest evidence for early settlement at Hereford has yet
been found and no adequate proof of Roman occupation. The remains of
corndrying kilns utilizing massive stones and two altars from some
Roman site were found underlying the earthworks of the western rampart defences. They may be 4th century. The chronology of the defences is conjectural, but based on historical fact and archaeological evidence the following sequence is suggested:
1. The boundary ditch enclosing an area of 24 acres around the
cathedral (ABCD) (see illustration) may mark the bishop's 8th c.
holding.
2. A ditch and earthen bank, with a palisade (EFGH) built by Offa
after AD 760.
3. An earthen rampart enclosing the northern circuit of the town
built in 1055 by Earl Harold.
4. Stone gates erected in 1190 on the site of earlier timber gates.
(1)
Extant protions surveyed at 1:1250. (2)
Excavations in the 1960's-70's have demonstrated that the original settlement grew up around the Western ecclesiastical centre, and was fortified. The proto-town expanded in the late C9th and the eastern ecclesiastical centre was enclosed and a grid street system created. It was this Eastern half of the town which became the burh. (3,) |