Listed Building record MDO6833 - Town Boundary wall to rear of Nos 5, 7 and 9 Thames Street

Remains of Poole's 15th century town defences, built from 1433. The surviving features include the town wall and water gate. The town was never completely walled. Scheduled.

Remains of (NAT) Town Wall (NR), Water Gate (NR) (1) The town walls of Poole were begun about 1433 and enclosed the greater part of the present town, although its course is no longer recognisable. Only one fragment remains, a small postern gate with a portion of the rampart above it and a few shattered steps and battlements. (2)

Poole was never completely walled; such seaward defences as were constructed appear to have been for the protection of the quay. A heavy corbel on the south-east angle of the Woolhouse (SZ 09 SW 14) almost certainly carried a stone archway known to have spanned Paradise Street.

This arch was probably part of a wall running to the water's edge at the end of the quay. It is reasonable to assume that the surviving length of town wall was also part of these defences.

Excavations near the foot of the wall uncovered oyster shells, seaweed and shingle, showing that this was the old shore line. (3)

The remains of the Town Wall run from SZ 00809035 to SZ 00819033 and are 19.0m in length, up to 4.5m high, and 0.6 - 1.2m wide. On the eastern face of the wall ten stone steps are visible leading to the rampart walk which is 3.0m above present ground level. The walk extends for 5.0m only, above the postern gate.

The gate, situated at SZ 00809034, is of simple form and is now boarded up. The wall appears to be in original condition with no modern material visible, but the western face has been "patch-faced" and white-washed. The heavy corbel on the Wool-house is still visible. See ground photographs. (4)

`Town Wall', about 15 yards long and up to 3 feet thick, is of squared and partly coursed rubble and is of 16th century date. It contains a doorway with chamfered jambs and four-centred head, and the south end of the wall has traces of three openings, now blocked. Scheduled. (5,6)

Town Wall, Grade 2*. Built by Richard III and mentioned by Leland. Length given as about 100 feet, otherwise as described. (7).

<1> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Map 1:500, 1888 edition OS map (Map). SWX1328.

<2> Brannon, P, 1857, Guide to Poole, p35 (Monograph). SWX3624.

<3> Smith, H P, 1951, History of the Borough and County of the Town of Poole. County Corporate Status (vol. 2), p17-19 illust. (Monograph). SWX3208.

<4> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 07-DEC-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 205 (Monograph). SDO150.

<6> DOE, 1978, Scheduled Monument Notification DOE (IAM) Anc Mons 2 1978 82, 82 (Scheduling record). SWX3628.

<7> DOE (HRR), 30 June 1980, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Poole 1980, 69 (Scheduling record). SWX3744.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2024 3:38PM