Record Details
| NHER Number: | 4276 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | The Main Guard |
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Summary
During the 16th or 17th century a mound was constructed on top of the rampart behind the medieval town wall (NHER 4294). In the 18th century there was a gun emplacement on the mound. The mound was removed in 1974 and post medieval pottery and leather were found.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 525 076 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG50NW |
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| Parish: | GREAT YARMOUTH, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK |
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Full description
The Main Guard or The Mount. A military fortification added behind the town wall in the ?16th century.
Removed in 1974 (town wall exposed behind). Makeup continued for more than 2m below present ground level. Post medieval sherds in Mount itself, leather finds below.
S. Dunmore (NAU), April 1974.
Gomme's map of 1688 (S1) dates it to 1650.
E. Rose.
See (S2) for decription of an 'area enclosed by a mound behind the wall'. Tom Martin about 1740 (S3) noted guns on this mound - see NHER 4294 for full quotation.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 June 1982.
The main guard was indeed fortified in 1650 but was originally part of a bank behind the walls made in 1587.
See (S4).
However (S5) gives yet a third version by saying it was a Citadel made in 1626.
E. Rose (NAU), 5 November 1998.
March 2009. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of excavation of hole for new sign post. Contexts 1-3 used.
This work did not expose any original wall material.
See report (S6) for further information.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 1 July 2009.
Monument Types
- FORTIFICATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- GUN EMPLACEMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- MOUND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- TOWN DEFENCES (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds
- POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | *Rolled Plan: Large Plan Exists. |
| --- | Slide: Various. Slide. |
| <S1> | Map: Gomme. 1688. Gomme's map. |
| <S2> | Monograph: Swinden, H.. 1772. The history of Great Yarmouth.. |
| <S3> | Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. c. 1740. |
| <S4> | Publication: Kent, P. 1988. Fortifications of East Anglia. p 198. |
| <S5> | Monograph: Manship, H.. 1854?. History of Great Yarmouth.. 2. |
| <S6> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Hobbs, B. 2009. An Archaeological Watching Brief at Market Gates, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. NAU Archaeology. 2051. |
Related records - none
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