Monument record MWX708 - Wareham

Anglo-Saxon burh and Medieval town and port with a castle and Benedictine Priory besieged during the civil war in the 17th century and destroyed by fire in 1762.

Wareham was formerly a port (last mentioned in 1347) and a royal borough, situated near the end of a long, narrow peninsula between the rivers Frome and Piddle near their confluence at Poole Harbour. Minor occupation from the early Iron Age to later Roman period is attested here (See SY 98 NW 16) but the first major settlement occurred in the 9th century with the foundation of the defended Anglo-Saxon burh (SY 98 NW 25). The Saxon town included a 10th century mint (SY 98 NW 31) and the still extant churches of St Martin (SY 98 NW 34) and St Mary (SY 98 NW 30). (1-3)

The development of Wareham in the early medieval period included the establishment of a Benedictine Priory cell (SY 98 NW 27) and the 12th century, or earlier, castle (SY 98 NW 19) together with several churches and an almshouse (see SY 98 NW 20-24 & 29).

There is little evidence of Wareham's late medieval character, but during the 17th century Civil War the town was beseiged several times and the walls strengthened. A great fire in 1762 destroyed much of the town and it was largely rebuilt. (1)

In 1066 Wareham was a borough with 285 houses, by 1086 135 houses were standing. In 1244 the borough is represented by its own jury at the eyre. <3>

A prescriptive fair is first recorded in Wareham from 1200. (4)

Wareham is also recorded in the Domesday Book as 'Warham'. (5)

There is also evidence that Wareham was a Late Saxon Planned Town. (6)

<1> Penn, K J, 1980, Historic Towns in Dorset, 105-113 (Monograph). SWX1202.

<2> Beresford, J, and Finberg, H P R, 1973, English medieval boroughs: a hand-list, p104 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1175.

<3> Beresford, J, and Finberg, H P R, 1973, English medieval boroughs: a hand-list, p104 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1175.

<4> Anon, 2003, Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs to 1516. (Digital archive). SWX8440.

<5> Hinde, Thomas (Ed ), 2002, The Domesday Book: England's Heritage, then and now (Monograph). SWX8439.

<6> Biddle, Martin, 1971, Late Saxon planned towns, p70-85 (Article in serial). SWX769.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456723 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2024 11:30AM