Excavations at Castle Gardens, Exeter 1990 (Exeter archive site 99)
Exeter City Council, Cotswold Archaeology, 2015. https://doi.org/10.5284/1035236. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Exeter City Council unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Andrew
Pye
Principal Project Manager (Heritage)
Exeter City Council
Civic Centre
Paris Street
Exeter
EX1 1NN
England
Tel: 01392 265 224
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 2068
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1035236
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
Trial excavation trenches and fabric recording were undertaken in January and February 1990 at the southern corner of the Inner Ward of the Castle. The archaeological work took place in advance of remedial works at a point where several deep cracks had developed in the wall.
A trench on the inside face of the wall revealed Norman footings and the top of the bank and provided the first opportunity to examine the relationship between the two. The wall may have been as wide as 3 metres and was built of trap rubble in a brown sandy mortar, which has come to be known as typical of Norman buildings in the city.
The primary defences were probably completed rapidly around the 1070s and were then strengthened by the addition of a stone curtain wall as time and resources permitted. Much of the fabric of the standing wall in this area is relatively modern. Most of the builds recorded to the east of the cracks are late 19th century or later.
