HER 1647 - Medieval town ditch and wall, Guildford

The Victoria County History for Surrey describes the old defensible town ditch of Guildford as running from the Dominican Friary near the river, along North Street and round to South Street. This connected with the Castle ditch (now Castle Street). It has been traced at the corner of Chertsey St and right across Trinity churchyard between these two lines. When the church was enlarged in 1888, and graves were removed as a consequence, the ditch was traced with much medieval pottery in it. It is possible the oldest town was walled and of yet smaller dimensions. A very thick ancient clunch wall, with a well on its south side, showing that to be the inside, ran about 30 yards south of the High Street, nearly parallel to it. It would have included St Mary's church and a small town around the Castle mount. If this was so, the High St itself was originally a suburban extension, later included by the ditch. No traces of the town wall or ditch are now visible, although there is plenty of evidence (documentary, cartographic and topographic) for the course of the town ditch. Reconsideration of the evidence, suggests that it is part of a planned town of the 10th century.

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Related Records

• SHHER_1666

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