More information : (ST 5222) Town Wall (NR) (course of). (1)
Ilchester was a walled borough in Saxon and Norman times, and
whatever the shape of the enciente, there can be no doubt that it
was walled and fortified at the time of the Civil War. Buckler's
course (2) coincides with that shown on the OS. 25', and he states
that a remnant of the wall was said to be still standing circa 1816
in the garden of a house now the King William Inn.There are
historical references to four town gates; North Gate in 1304, West
Gate in 1387 and 1557, South Gate in 1487 and 1403, and East Gate in
1242. (2-4)
Foundations of the wall are visible in various places, and there are
vestiges of the moat at Belles-pool, and also in Yard-lane to the
north of the town. (5)
With the exception of a short section of ditch at ST 5218 2248 there
are no visible remains of the town defences or gates. For Stukeley's
plan of Ilchester, 1723, see AO/66/206/6. (6)
Excavations in 1969 revealed that the wall on the south of the town
as shown by the Ordnance Survey is of Civil War date. The Roman
wall, with the medieval wall behind it, proved to lie further north.
A road through the Roman wall and over its silted ditch may indicate
that the medieval gate was west of the present road system. (7)
Casey's excavation of 1969 (Authy.7) lay under what is now the S.
end of the bungalow 'Birley' at ST 52232247 (a). His excavation
showing the ditch published by the O.S. as Town Wall (site of) to be
Civil War was at ST 52212247 (b) (still visible on the ground). These
two pieces of firm evidence plus ground observation elsewhere
indicate that the course of the wall as published by the O.S. cannot
be substantiated. (8)
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