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Wallingford

Wallingford – the 27th burh to be cited in the Burghal Hidage

Kingdom Type of Burh No. of Hides O.S. Grid Ref
Wessex Burghal Town 2400 SU60738948

“The establishment of the burh enclosure in c.900 marks a major settlement statement, and although evidence of contemporary intramural activity is currently limited, the investment in space and defences is striking. There is also some evidence for a reworking of the landscape to accommodate the new foundation, such as modifying westerly and northern streams to fill the ditch and supply the town with water and milling, perhaps change to the river ford (a first timber bridge?), and likely change to pre-existing road lines from the north. A tantalising possibility also still exists of some form of high-status Anglo-Saxon occupation on the site that was to become the castle, while the likelihood of thegnly residences and estates centred on early churches might indicate another manifestation of authority within the burh plan.“Text from ‘Have you Found Anything Interesting?’ Exploring Late-Saxon and Medieval Urbanism at Wallingford: Sources, Results, and Questions p.45

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