WELLS

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Description

DESCRIPTION

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Roman settlement, Saxon and Medieval town. There is documentary evidence for medieval town defences. The Medieval borough was created in 1174.

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(ST 5445 - area centred) The development of Wells is shown on outline maps (see illustration card). In the Roman period there was a small settlement around the springs. By the mid Saxon period there was a minster and a church downstream (ST 54 NE 50 and ST 54 NW 11). By the late Saxon period the two halves had joined and a market place was established. In the medieval period the cathedral (ST 54 NE 50) was built in place of the minster. (1)

Additional references (2)(3)(4)

During the period 1174-80 a charter of Bishop Reginald confirming one by Bishop Robert (1136-66), creating a borough at Wells. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Current archaeology

(W Rodwell) 73 - 1980 Page(s)38-44

( 2) by Michael Aston and Roger Leech 1977 Historic towns in Somerset

Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset surveysNo 1 (1975) - no 6 (1983) NO.2 - 1977 Page(s)147

( 3) edited by Margaret L Faull 1984 Studies in late Anglo-Saxon settlement

1984 Page(s)16

( 4) edited by Jeremy Haslam 1984 Anglo-Saxon towns in southern England

1984 Page(s)193-4

(5) M W Beresford and H P R Finberg 1973 English medieval boroughs : a hand-list

Page(s)159

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