HARTLEPOOL TOWN DEFENCES

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Town walls and town gate. The town wall was built between 1326 and 1344 and consisted of a bank and ditch constructed in two phases. The wall was mainly of limestone and random rubble limestone. There was a watergate for fishermen, while the main harbour entrance was guarded by two large round towers with a boom chain between. The Sandwell Gate is the only surviving town gate. Scheduled.

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NZ 52453368 Town Wall (NR). (1)

The ancient town walls of Hartlepool commenced at a point near the cliffs to the north-east of the town and ran to the North Gate (see NZ 53 SW 14.2) then to the Water Gate (see NZ 53 SW 14.3) and across the inner harbour until it nearly reached the extreme end of the promontory (see NZ 53 SW 12 Medieval Harbour). The existing portion, about 600 yds in length, rounds the end of the headland and runs to the Old Pier (see NZ 53 SW 17). (2)

The earliest references found to the town walls of Hartlepool are the grants of murage in the reign of Edward II. (See NZ 53 SW 8, Medieval Walled Town of Hartlepool). Of the remaining portion, about 450 yds in length, a great deal near the north end has been rebuilt, and most of its original features are lost. Near its south-east end stands Sandwell Gate (see NZ 53 SW 14.1). (3)

NZ 52363375 to NZ 52753358. The remains of the town wall are as described by authority 3. The rubble masonry is in a good state of preservation, and the parapet wall attains a maximum height of 1.2m, but has been considerably restored. A plaque at NZ 5275 3358 dates the wall to circa 1250. The extant Sandwell Gate (NZ52723359) is of plain massive charater and appears to be part of the original 14th century town wall. (4)

NZ 52483411. An excavation took place in May and June l978 across the presumed line of the Medieval town wall. No trace of the wall was found but a large Medieval ditch, 5.7m wide was located running parallel to the presumed line. This may have been additional, and perhaps earlier, defence immediately west or outside the wall (NZ 53 SW 12) was formed by a low pointed arch about 10 ft high and 24 ft span. (See NZ 53 SW 14 Medieval Town Wall). (5)(6)

The medieval town defences were excavated in 1976/78 at Graham Street, sited to NZ 5252 3410; and in 1983 at the MM Oil site, sited to NZ 525 340, and at St Helens Junior School sited to NZ 3250 3423.

The excavations indicated that the defences of the isthmus consisted of a bank and ditch, constructed in two phases. The town wall was built in the period between 1326 and 1344 as indicated by the documentary evidence.

There was a watergate for fishermen while the main harbour entrance was guarded by two large round towers with a boom chain between. (7)

Town Wall and Sandwell Gate. Town fortifications/retaining wall, fronting onto Commissioner's Harbour; early 14th century. Incorporating late 14th century pointed arched gateway, Sandwell Gate. Grade I. (8)

Additional reference. (9)

NZ 524 337 - NZ 527 336. Town Wall and Sandwell Gate. Scheduled No CL/24. (10)

The monument is also visible as upstanding structures on air photographs examined as part of the North East Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment, at NZ 5254 3366.
(12-13)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10 000 1976

( 2) General reference

Boyle, 1892. Guide to Durham Page(s)616

( 3) edited by William Page 1928 The Victoria history of the county of Durham, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England 1928 3 Page(s)265-266

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 DS 17-MAY-57

( 5) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(L E Webster & J Cherry) 23 Page(s)264

( 6) Council for British Archaeology Group 3: Archaeological newsbulletin

Series 2, number 5 (Sept 1978) (N F Pearson)

(7) Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland Durham archaeological journal

1986 (R Daniels) 2 Page(s)63-72

(8) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Borough of Hartlepool, Cleveland (17-DEC-1985) 1676 Page(s)62

(9) edited by B E Vyner 1983 Recent excavations in Cleveland

Young, G A B, 1983 Page(s)51-54

(10) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Cleveland. Page(s)3

(11) Council for British Archaeology CBA research reports

Medieval Towns in England and Wales Barley (ed) 14 - 1975 Page(s)58-9

(12) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR OS/93038 0048 15-MAR-1993

(13) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR NZ 5233/26 (20545/20) 21-MAY-2006

RELATED MONUMENTS

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Monument Name/No

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Description

HARTLEPOOL
HARTLEPOOL

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Medieval borough, mentioned in documents dated 1162-1185, 1201 and 1380

NORTH GATE
HARTLEPOOL

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Site of 14th century North Gate at Hartlepool. Demolished 1836.

WATERGATE
HARTLEPOOL

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Site of the Watergate in the harbour wall of Hartlepool town wall. It had of a pointed arch circa 10 feet high and with a 24 feet span.

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