Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

(1796), included a detailed and fairly accurate survey of the Castle ruins (Mumford
2008: 9).
A possible sally port was recorded in the Tidmarsh Lane area during the Castle
Precinct excavations; this may be of Civil War date. The post-medieval canalisation
of the outer castle ditch was also recorded (Norton 2006a: 26; Oxford Archaeology
forthcoming). During the post-medieval period, the Castle site was gradually
encroached upon; the Castle precinct excavation provided some evidence for this
process (Oxford Archaeology forthcoming). Full-scale redevelopment took place in
the 18 th century with the construction of the prison. Excavations at Paradise Street in
2005 (UAD 1736) recorded evidence of infilling of the Castle ditch in the 18th century
so that the area could be used as backyards for the tenements on Paradise Street
(Norton 2005: 9). According to the Victoria County History, a number of burials were
recovered from Jews Mount, to the north of Oxford Castle. It is possible that these
are associated with the plague outbreak of 1644-5 (VCH iv: 82).
The Wall Gates
The North Gate
The North Gate with the adjoining prison of Bocardo stood on Cornmarket Street and
was destroyed in 1772. Towers stood to the east and west of the gateway, which had
two storeys. To the north, was an open barbican and two rounded towers projecting
beyond it. Parts of the gate have been seen in excavations in the 20th century (UAD
48, 408). The Bocardo prison extended over the gate: both are depicted in a drawing
by John Malchair in 1771 (UAD6 3).
Eastgate
The late medieval Eastgate was located on the High Street at the junction with
Longwall Street. Salter’s survey of Oxford notes there were five tenements within the
gate itself prior to its demolition in 1771 (Salter 1955a: 197). The gate has not been
recorded archaeologically, though 18th-century drawings show it in its rebuilt state
with a simple arch across the street.
Littlegate
The Littlegate, originally the Water Gate, breached the City Wall at the north end of
Littlegate Street, on a line with Brewer Street. It had two arches, one for pedestrians
and one for carts, with rooms above. The pedestrian arch survived until 1798 and
fragments were seen in the redevelopment work in 1971 (Hassall, Halpin and Mellor
1989). The gate was drawn by Malchair (Harrison 1998: Fig 12).
Southgate
The Southgate stood in St Aldates level with the north side of Brewer Street (RCHME
1939: 161). The gate had disappeared by the early 17th century, possibly having
been partly demolished when Cardinal College was built in the 16th century. It is said
to have had a vaulted tunnel with flanking towers, one of which was leased to St
Michael's Church (Sturdy 1961-2: 23). In 2008, a watching brief in St Aldates noted
re-deposited ashlar stone blocks opposite Brewer Street that may have been
demolition debris from the Southgate or the town wall (Sims 2008).
Smith Gate and Westgate
Smithgate stood across Catte Street immediately to the west of the chapel of Our
Lady which is mentioned in the 14th century (VCH iv: 406). Little is known about the
Saxon Westgate. Following the construction of the Castle, the Westgate was located
at the junction of Church Street and Castle Street as shown on Agas’ 16th century
map of the city. It was demolished in the 17th century (UAD Monument 437).
OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT- POST MEDIEVAL
57