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CHICHESTER ROMAN CITY WALLS

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The late 2nd century AD defences initially consisted of two V-shaped ditches with a bank and pallisade; the bank was later cut back and a masonry revetting wall was added to the bank; bastions were added to the wall in the 4th century AD.

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(SU85700472) (SU86140449) (SU86400465) (SU86410485) (SU86380517)
(SU86340522) (SU86220524) (SU85880514) (SU85720497) (SU85700472)
(sited to the course of the town wall from OS 1:2500 1963, 1964 and 1967)
The late second century defences, of which a considerable part survives today, consisted initially of two V-shaped ditches with an earth bank and a palisade. Excavations by John Holmes in 1959 when the defences on the south-west corner of the city were sectioned and another section cut through the bank at the rear of the wall along Market Avenue indicated that the bank had been constructed with soil from the ditch. At some time after the defences had been erected the bank was cut back and a masonry revetting wall built in front. A late second to early third century date is suggested for this work on analogy with similar episodes at Silchester and Winchester.
At some time in the fourth century bastions were added to the walls and this required the filling of the inner ditch with rammed chalk and flint where they were constructed. In place of the original two ditches a third was dug further away from the wall, providing a 'killing ground' for the defenders.
Only seven of the bastions are now known and of these, only five are above ground. Four have been examined by archaeologists and consideration of the published reports indicates that the construction details of each tower seem to be identical. The construction of these defences is thought to date to shortly after the 'barbarian conspiracy' of AD 367.
Very little has been discovered of the four main gates. What remained of the superstructure of the late medieval gates was swept away when the town was largely rebuilt in the C18th. Discoveries since then have been sparce but tend to support the view that they were just simple tunnels through the wall, lacking out-thrust drum towers, and with one or two guardrooms behind (see SU 80 NE 85 -North Gate; SU 80 SE 107 - Westgate; SU 80 Se 109 - Southgate. 'There is no direct evidence to date their construction' (1)

Additional references (2-3)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Alec Down 1988 Roman Chichester

Page(s)52-56

(2) by Alec Down and Margaret Rule 1971 Chichester excavations; 1

Chichester excavations [series]Vol.1 (1979) - Cunliffe B The Origin and development of Chichester Page(s)3

(3) by Julie Crickmore 1984 Romano-British urban defences

British Archaeological Report (BAR) British series1 (1974) - 126 Page(s)198

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