PE007

Tenby Town Wall  

 

Designated  

Pembrokeshire  

Tenby  

213344  

200405  

Defence  

Town Wall  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a town wall dating to the medieval period. When completed the walls of Tenby, which formed a complete circuit of the medieval town, had three gateways and twelve towers. The walls were begun in late 13th century; a period of attacks including that included in 1260 when Llywelyn the Last succeeded in sacking the town. Originally the walls were low with a series of arrow slits defended from ground banked-up on the inside, the main gateway was then on the north. In 1328 a barbican was built around the then simple opening of the South Gate and over time the defences were strengthened by the addition of extra towers. In 1457 an arrangement was agreed between Jasper Tewdwr, Earl of Pembroke (1431-1495) and the townspeople, where each agreed to pay half of the sum required to further fortify the defences. This resulted in the heightening of the walls, a second, higher series of arrow slits being reached by a new parapet walk. At this time the moat which ran outside the landward wall was widened. The remains visible today comprise a well-preserved section of wall running south eastwards from near the site of the north or Carmarthen Gate as far as the northwest tower, followed by the connecting full-length survival of the landward southwest facing wall which incorporates the South Gate and its barbican together with six towers set at intervals. In addition, there are the remains of an isolated tower (Breckmanchine Tower) located on cliffs above the sea and once part of the southeast town wall. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive organisation and of the growth of towns. The monument forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to chronology, building techniques and functional detail. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.