Wallingford: place, space and defence

A key centre to explore late Saxon burh defence and urban form is Wallingford in South Oxfordshire. Its location alongside the Thames at a crossing point exploited by the Norman forces in 1066 made this a significant point of investment, as reflected by the record of Wallingford’s substantial size in the Burghal Hidage. Spectacular survival of the burh ramparts (fig.1), combined with data from past and present excavations and surveys enable close discussion of the character of defensive provision at Saxon Wallingford and assessment of its pre-burh role. Was this primarily a frontier foundation or a burh with planned specific urban and economic functions from its outset? What were the components of its plan and how far did these endure the transition to Norman rule?