NEWARK

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A Roman settlementand an early Medieval town are recorded here and a ditch has been excavated which is provisionally dated from 878 to 918. The Medieval town defences were probably built in the first half of the 14th century. In 1086 the Bishop of Lincoln had in demesne at Newark 56 burgesses. Scheduled.

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(SK 798 539) Newark Roman, Early medieval and medieval town.

The Dark Ages borough at Newark (centred SK 798539) was enclosed by a
ditch, the course of which is postulated. The course of the medieval
wall, considered to have followed the line of the earlier ditch, is
partly known by the position of gates: at North Bar (see plan I (1)),
east bar in the middle of Bridge Street and the third at the north
end of Mill Gate. Carter Gate and Appleton Gate are remains of a
medieval "by-pass". The ditch probably dates from 878-918; a section
in Slaughterhouse lane was excavated in 1960. The medieval town wall,
a masonry wall some 2'9" thick, was built prior to 1368, probably in
the first half of 14th century.

(See plan II (2) for probably alignment). Traces of a 100' run of Md
wall are extant at the west end of Lombard Street. (Scheduled). (1,2)

The alignment of the south, east and west sides of the medieval
defences were determined and two phases of construction defined.
An earth bank of 13th c was later topped by a stone wall. (3).
However, no trace of pre-conquest defences was found. (4). On the
west of the town a late medieval water channel or mill-leet was
discovered. Near the town centre, slight traces of Roman occupation
were recovered. (3). (3-4)

The only portion of the Medieval town defences now extant is a
stretch of the curtain wall some 43.0m in length now preserved in
Shipsides Garage, Lombard Street at SK 7964053842; the visible face
of the wall is white-washed and attains a max height of 2.3m being
1.1m thick. It is of stone construction, brick topped, with slate and
brick infill. There are no surviving DA features. Md walling outlined
on OS 1:1250 1972. (5)

Excavations in the Old White Hart yard (about SK 79895380) in 1976,
revealed a substantial stone wall 1.30 metres high, and a much
disturbed gravel and sand bank behind, and clearly contemporary.
In Lombard Street, a further excavation immediately west of the 1972
excavation, revealed the bank to be 2.32 metres high, probably the
original height.

A small excavation 20 metres east of Shipside's Garage, proved that
the wall running through the garage is not part of the town wall and
is probably an old property boundary. (6)

In 1086, the bishop of Lincoln was recorded as having 56 burgesses in
the borough of Lincoln. (7-8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire

(M W Barley) 65 - 1961 Page(s)10-18

( 2) General reference

Newark, Civil War Siegeworks, 1964, p 28, plan

( 3) Council for British Archaeology: Calendar of excavations

1972 Page(s)21

( 4) Department of the Environment Archaeological excavations

1971 Page(s)100

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

Field Investigator, FDC, 18-NOV-1974

( 6) Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire

(M Todd) 81 - 1972 Page(s)41-53

(8) by M W Beresford, H P R Finberg 1973 English medieval boroughs: a handlist

1973 Page(s)146

(9) General reference

Domesday Book, vol I, p 283

(10) Council for British Archaeology CBA research reports

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

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MONUMENT NO. 324361
NEWARK

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Saxon mint in the reigns of Eadwig and Ethelred II; Mediaeval mint during Stephen's reign.

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