Exeter city walls
| Exeter city walls | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Athelstan's tower, at part of the city walls | |
 | |
| Type | Fortification |
| Location | Exeter, England |
| Coordinates | 50°43′21″N 3°31′53″W / 50.7224°N 3.53136°W |
| Area | 2.35 kilometres (1.46 miles) |
| Built | 13th-14th century |
| Original use | Urban defence |
| Restored | 19th century |
| Architectural style(s) | Medieval |
| Owner | Exeter City Council |
| Official name | Roman, Anglo Saxon and medieval defences called collectively Exeter City Walls |
| Designated | 2 May 1934 |
| Reference no. | 1003858 |
Exeter's city walls survive as a circuit approximately 2.35km long, of which 72% (1,705m) is still visible, some parts up to 2.5m high. The walls of Exeter, England, are a scheduled ancient monument.[1]
History
[edit]Originally built by the Romans in circa 200 AD, there were four gateways which were dismantled in the 18th and 19th centuries.[2] The walls were repaired and rebuilt during the Anglo-Saxon, medieval and Civil War periods and the city was besieged at least twice. Several turrets and bastions in the wall are of uncertain date.[1]
William of Malmesbury attributed the walls' construction to Æthelstan, though they certainly had Roman origins. However, the Anglo-Saxon period did see significant repair and strengthening of the walls, as did the medieval period. As such, the surviving walls today contain a mixture of work across many periods.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Roman, Anglo Saxon and medieval defences called collectively Exeter City Walls, Non Civil Parish - 1003858 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ "Roman wall concerns halt major gas pipe works in Exeter". BBC News. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.