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A walk around Wallingford Town Walls Wallingford Town walls were originally built in Saxon times to defend our town against the Vikings. As a result Wallingford was one of a number of towns in Wessex that Alfred the Great decided needed strong defences against the Danes so he planned a line of "burhs" or fortified towns which were defended by high walls. They surround the old town on three sides. The river Thames defended the fourth side and date from the 9th century. The distance that these walls run is well over a mile. In 919 it was recorded that Wallingford was larger than Oxford and the only other town in Wessex of comparable importance was Winchester.
Gough says; "The town of Wallingford was surrounded on three sides by a high vallum, a considerable part of which still remains, and without this by a moat filled with water by inversion of a stream which flowed from the west. The river formed the defence on the fourth side". While in the sixteenth century Leyland says; "The town of Wallingford hath been a very notable thing and well waulled. The ditch of the town and the crest whereon the waulles stood be yet manifestly perceived, and begin at the castle, going in cumpace a good mile and more".
A walk for the old and wheelchair users can be taken by entering the Bull Croft in the high street and turning right following the tarmac footpath keeping the children's play area, tennis courts, and bowling green on your left. At the top right hand corner the path turns to the left and here is where the Saxon walls start for this walk. In front of you as far as the eye can see around the perimeter of this park the high walls helped defend our town. At certain points amongst the trees on your right the depth of the walls can be seen. The ditch was filled with water and the banks would have been steeper when they were built. The tops of the banks would have been covered with a 20ft high wooden palisade, which make an almost impregnable fortification. Follow the footpath till you come to a tall obelisk. This was originally in the market place and was placed here when the war memorial was erected. Here the walls go to the road in front of you. To continue our walk we turn left and walk down the pathway keeping to the right towards the main gate of the Bull Croft whence we came in. Turn right and walk along the high street passing the town museum till we come to the Cross Keys public house. On the other side of the road is the continuation of the walls. Where you are standing is where the west gate would have been. Cross the road into the Kine Croft (being careful) and a walk along the bottom of the walls can be made although this will be hard for wheelchairs users. Around the west and southern side of the Kine Croft the walls continue. These would be around a third higher again topped by a wooden palisade. Walk south till you reach the steps. At the top of these turn to the east following the walls and continue until you come to the main Reading road. Turn to the right noticing next to the building on your right where the ditch went under the road. Cross the road here and you are standing where there once was a mill. Turn on your left into St Lucian's lane. Houses are now built on the left where the walls would have stood although the town ditch is still to be seen. Walk east till you come to a small archway between two houses on your left. Proceed through and stand on the small wooden bridge in front of you. Here looking east can be seen the river Thames where our walls ended.
A walk for the more active maybe taken by heading north up Castle Street and walk down the steps of the signposted footpath on your left. Here we find our self on the far side of the walls from that in the Bull Croft. Continue to a set of steps on your left and on climbing these turn right, you will find yourself on the earlier perimeter walk. Another walk in the town meadows would find where the rest of the walls would have run down to the river before the castle was built.
© 2007 Tony Morris. |