Historic city's original boundary excavated

BBC News ^ | October 9, 2024 | editors / unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Discoveries made during excavations in Oxford have confirmed the original defensive perimeter of the then Anglo-Saxon town.

An area around Oriel College was investigated by Oxford Archaeology during refurbishment works on its bar and kitchens.

Experts found the remains of a ditch, indicating where the defences originally stood, confirming that Oxford in about 900AD was much smaller than the medieval town it went on to become...

Excavations outside the Bodleian Library in 1899 previously revealed a section of wall thought to be the original town's north-eastern corner...

Oxford Archaeology said it gave "credibility" to theories that the early fortified Oxford was smaller and had a "square perimeter built by the Anglo-Saxons according to the model of walled Roman towns such as Winchester"...

"There is no sign of these defences now because over time the ditch had filled up with deposits and then been built over."...

Fragments of charred plants in the ditch have been dated and show it was constructed around 880 to 950 AD, about the time Oxford is thought to have been founded.

[SunkenCiv]

The remains of Oxford's boundary among rubble and building works in a black and white 19th Century photo. Men in Victorian clothes and hats are visible, one with a cane.

OAHS Oxford Archaeological and Historical Society

[SunkenCiv]

[Gay State Conservative]

later

[BenLurkin]

The campaigns between Norsemen and Saxons is worth studying, imo.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks to my various British Isles roots and some medieval axe-swingin’ reavers, I wound up with more than 30% Scandinavian DNA. :^)

https://freerepublic.com/tag/greatheathenarmy/index

https://freerepublic.com/tag/alfredthegreat/index

https://freerepublic.com/tag/danelaw/index

[SunkenCiv]

The alfredthegreat, danelaw, & greatheathenarmy keywords, sorted:

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[Scrambler Bob]

Discoveries made during excavations . . .the original defensive perimeter of the then Anglo-Saxon town.

. . .during refurbishment works on its bar and kitchens.

= = =

So, the Anglo-Saxons believed in defending their bars?

[SunkenCiv]

Hey, they had a tradition of going to the pub prior to 1066. :^)

[11th_VA]

Life was so much easier when we only had to worry about Viking invaders … just saying

[SunkenCiv]

Plus, townspeople would pile up earthen barriers to protect the town.