11 towers remain of medieval wall. Licensed in time of Henry III (1261) but not commenced until 1276; murage grants renewed on various occasions; completed in the late C14, Strengthened in C16 and ceased having a defensive role in the late C18. Circa 23 ft high, 2238yds long and encloses an area of 133 acres. There are several gunports in the South-East tower and the adjoining wall, dating to circa 1460. The defences were modified in 1587 when it was found that they were poorly kept. A rampart was added outside the walls from the South gate around to Blackfriars Gate.

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Name	Great Yarmouth Town Wall
Alternative Names	Gernemuth
Historic County	Norfolk
Civil Parish	Great Yarmouth
Type	Urban Defence
Confidence	Certain
Remains	Major
Listed	Grade 2
Scheduled Ancient Monument	No
Ordnance Survey Reference	TG526073
Eastings	652670
Northing	307340
Images of England Reference	468464
PastScape Reference	133974
Historic Environment Record	4294

Multi Map

StreetMaps

Books

• Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p41, 240, 254, 264
• Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p57
• Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p159
• Kent, Peter, 1988, Fortifications of East Anglia (Lavenham: Ternence Dalton)
• Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
• King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p311-2
• Wilton, J.W., 1979, Earthworks and Fortifications of Norfolk (Weathercock Press) p31-2
• Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71
• Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p139-44
• Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co) p227-9
• Ferrier, 1908, in Astley, Memories of Old Norfolk (London) 157-60
• Swinden, 1772, History and Antiquities of Great Yarmouth (Norwich) p75-130

Antiquarian

• Manship, 1854, History of Great Yarmouth (Yarmouth) p46-8, 67-74, 275-8 [written temp. James I]
• William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/norfeng.html#norf9]

Journals

• Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p213
• Carter, A., 1980, ‘Yarmouth - the defences' Archaeological Journal Vol137 p303-4
• Green, C., 1970, 'Excavations on the town wall, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, 1955' Norfolk Archaeology Vol35 p109-117 or p167-70
• O'Neil and Stephens, 1945, Norfolk Archaeology Vol28 p1-6
• Tingey, 1914, Norfolk Archaeology Vol18 p129-48
• Palmer, 1864, Norfolk Archaeology Vol6 p106-24
• Palmer, 1852, Norfolk Archaeology Vol3 389-93

Primary Sources

• Calendar of Patent Rolls (1258-66) p177 [licence to crenellate]
• CPR (1272-1281) p315 [audit of murage]
• CPR (1258-1266) p177; (1281-1291) p177; (1321-1324) p35; (1324-1327) p134; (1327-1330) p106; (1330-1334) p333; (1334-1338) p151; CPR (1338-1340) p156; (1345-1348) p79; (1350-1354) p23; (1358-1361) p62; (1361-1364) p381; (1367-1370) p334; (1377-1381) p382; (1381-1385) p438; (1389-1392) p277; (1391-1396) p603; (1396-1399) p572; (1399-1401) p172; (1401-1405) p179; (1405-1408) p122; (1408-1413) p33; (1416-1422) p123; p304; (1422-1429) p411; (1429-1436) p112; (1441-1446) p180; (1452-1461) p468; (1461-1467) p200 [murage grants]
• CCloseR (1279-1288) p328 [40 marks for defences]