The Roman Town Defences

A substantial Roman wall was constructed in about AD 270. It covered a total length of about 2.4 kilometres.  
 
The wall today is about 4.5 metres high but it once stood to perhaps 7.8 metres with a wall-walk and parapet. (Drawing by Peter Urmston) © English Heritage The outer face of the wall originally consisted of hammer-dressed flint and stone, but now only the core with its lime mortar is visible. At its base the wall was about three metres wide.

The earlier earth rampart was strengthened in the third century with the addition of a wall © English Heritage This town wall is unusual in the way it uses stone rather than ceramic tile for the levelling courses. These greensand and limestone blocks were sourced from as far away as the Bath-Cirencester region. Given that clay suitable for tile is abundant around the town, the decision to choose more expensive stone is a measure of the prestige of the project.

The gates were constructed before the town wall. Four of the seven gates remain, and include the single carriageway north, south and amphitheatre gates. A small, postern gate to the south-east is also visible.