Archaeology uncovered under walls of Wallingford castle

Wallingford Town Council had to carry out repairs to the medieval castle walls which circle the eponymous gardens after storm damage was caused in 2025.

The castle was established as a motte-and-bailey fort in the 11th century, and grew to the height of its power and significance in the two centuries that followed.

The repaired walls on Castle Lane (Image: Wallingford Town Council)

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It is now a scheduled monument, and as a result the project required ‘a number of consents’ before work could begin, including from Historic England.

As part of the consent process, the organisation required an archaeological watching brief to monitor the excavation work, which saw four small test pits excavated alongside the wall.

Four small test pits were excavated alongside the wall during the work (Image: Wallingford Town Council)

A ‘small amount’ of medieval and post-medieval material was discovered, including pottery, tile and clay pipe fragments.

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The most ‘unexpected’ discovery was a small brick-lined culvert running beneath the wall which possibly served as an earlier drainage system for the town.

The town council said the project faced additional delays as an insurance claim relating to the storm damage was unsuccessful, and funding had to be found from elsewhere.

A spokesperson for the council said: “While projects like this can sometimes take longer than we’d all like, we’re pleased to have the wall repaired, preserving both an important part of the town’s history and ensuring Castle Lane can continue to be used safely for years to come.”