Monument record MCC115 - Civil War Fort, Sheepen, Colchester
Summary
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TL 98503 25331 (49m by 46m) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | TL92NE |
| Non Parish Area | COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Star-shaped Civil War Fort, part of the seigeworks built by the Parliamentary Army in 1648. The fort shows up clearly on early aerial photograph's.<1><2><3> It appears to be situated in a field recorded as 'Small Fort Field' on the Lexden Tithe Map.<4>
Part of the Fort was excavated by the Colchester Excavation Committee in 1934.<5> The fort was square with corner bastions giving it a star shape, c.45m across diagonals. Ditches (where excavated) were c.3m across, though there is a possibility that the ditches to the west are less substantial than those facing the town. The circumvallation trench probably runs NW from this fort, and the 'latrine trench' (MCC580) identified by Hawkes and Hull is actually the West side of the fort.<6>
It has been the subject of magnetometer survey.<7>
The fort is shown on a map of the seigeworks drawn up in 1648.<8>
For parallel see Newark.<9>
Sources/Archives (9)
- <1> SCC450 MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL: Strachan, Davy (Essex County Council). 1997. Rectified plot of Sheepen Civil War Fort.
- <2> SCC437 Cartographic materials: RCHME. 1994. National Mapping Programme Quarter sheet TL92NE. Overlay.
- <3> SCC114 Unpublished document: Hull, M. Rex. Roman Colchester II: Extramural and Walls. II. Sheepen Section.
- <4> SCC447 Cartographic materials: Unknown. 1838. Map of Lexden Parish 1838. Photocopy.
- <5> SCC99 Monograph: Hawkes, C.F.C. and Hull, M.R.. 1947. Camulodunum: First Report on the Excavations at Colchester 1930-1939.
- <6> SCC455 Unpublished document: Mabbitt, John. 1998. Colchester's Civil War siege works; an archaeological survey.. p.64.
- <7> SCC455 Unpublished document: Mabbitt, John. 1998. Colchester's Civil War siege works; an archaeological survey.. p.55.
- <8> SCC445 Cartographic materials: Unknown. 1648. 1648 Siege Map.
- <9> SCC459 Serial: RCHME. 1964. Newark on Trent. The Civil War Siege works. Newark No.14.
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (5)
- Event - Intervention: Excavations at Sheepen, Colchester, 1930 to 1939 (Ref: ECC328) (ECC328)
- Event - Survey: Map of Lexden Parish, Colchester, 1838 (Ref: ECC2119) (ECC2119)
- Event - Survey: Map of the Siege of Colchester, 1648 (Ref: ECC1803) (ECC1803)
- Event - Interpretation: National Mapping Programme, 1997 (Ref: ECC2114) (ECC2114)
- Event - Interpretation: Rectified plot of Civil War Fort, Colchester, 1997 (Ref: ECC2122) (ECC2122)
Record last edited
Nov 30 2016 11:26AM