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Part 5: Historical Analysis Dorset Historic Towns Survey: Shaftesbury Part 5: Historical Analysis 23 Dorset Historic Towns Survey: Shaftesbury 5.1 Saxon Shaftesbury (AD870-1066) 5.1.1 Historical Summary enclosure in the grounds of Barton Hill House The town of Shaftesbury probably begins with (Peter Cox, pers. comm.). This stands in con- the decision of King Alfred to construct a burh trast to the rest of the area of the town where on the limestone spur, probably in the late there have been relatively few finds of Iron Age 870s. Alfred also founded a nunnery here in and Roman material. There is also some evi- the late 880s, which probably helped stimulate dence for Early and Middle Saxon activity in th th the growth of Shaftesbury. By the early 11 th the form of scattered pottery sherds of 5 -6 century, Shaftesbury had become a significant century date and a Middle Saxon pottery kiln of th th town. 8 or 9 century date (Carew 2008). The size and character of this Early and Middle Saxon Although this account starts with the establish- activity is not clear, but the evidence may rep- ment of the Alfredian burh, there is some evi- resent a settlement pre-dating the development dence for settlement and other activity pre- of the town of Shaftesbury, perhaps estab- dating its construction. Previously, historians lished on an earlier, Roman, site. Settlement have focussed on the possibility that the burh continued in this area into the Late Saxon pe- was preceded by an Iron Age or Roman hilltop riod; the remains of a late 10 th and early 11 th settlement, largely on account of its dramatic century domestic settlement, set within a regu- topographic position, but evidence is clearly lar series of rectangular enclosures or fields lacking to substantiate this (Keen 1984). Two arranged in a NNW-SSE alignment, have been possible Early Iron Age pits were found on the revealed by excavation (Carew 2008). It is north side of Bimport within the probable area tempting to see Barton Hill as representing the of the Saxon burh (ASI 1999), but otherwise original settlement at Shaftesbury, perhaps a there have been very few finds of prehistoric Royal manor pre-dating the foundation of the and Roman material from this area. It has also burh. Barton became the Abbey’s manorial been previously suggested that there was an grange during the medieval period. earlier religious community at Shaftesbury be- fore the burh and nunnery (see Penn 1980, Shaftesbury is listed in the Burghal Hidage and 84), but this has now been discounted (Murphy is likely to have been one of the new fortified 1991). places created by Alfred in the period 878-879 (Haslam 2005). Shaftesbury is listed as having There is rather more evidence for a possible 700 hides, which translates as a wall length of pre-urban settlement to the east of the spur at 2887 ft (880m) or 700 men required to defend Barton Hill. Recent archaeological work here the fortification. William of Malmesbury writing has revealed evidence of prehistoric, Roman in about 1125 mentions the discovery of an and Saxon activity (Carew 2008; Whelan & inscribed stone from Shaftesbury which states Firth 2009). The earliest evidence for activity in that Shaftesbury was founded in AD880, the this area is a rather enigmatic Early Bronze eighth year of the reign of King Alfred (RCHME Age timber circle, probably a ceremonial monu- 1972, 57). The stone may not be contemporary ment, rather than a settlement site (Carew but it does attest to a belief locally that the burh 2008). There is rather more evidence for a pos- was founded in AD880 (Keynes 1999, 38), sible Roman settlement as a number of Roman which accords well with the date proposed by finds and features have been made in this Haslam (2005). area, including part of a possible rectilinear Figure 6: View of the Saxon hilltop town. Figure 7: The northern side of the Saxon burh. 25 Dorset Historic Towns Survey: Shaftesbury King Alfred founded the nunnery at Shaftesbury 1983). The borough comprised two manors be- together with the monastery at Athelney as an longing to the King and to the Abbess, with 104 act of thanksgiving for victory over the Danes at houses in the King’s manor and 153 in the Ab- the Battle of Edington in 878, according to As- bess’s manor by 1066 (Thorn and Thorn 1983). ser in his life of the king written in about 893. The survey also lists three moneyers in the Asser states that Alfred’s own daughter Aethel- King’s manor. gifu was abbess and the community contained The town may have expanded to the east and several noble nuns (Keynes 1999). The date of south of the Abbey during the 10 th -11 th centu- foundation is not known but it is likely to have ries. The evidence for this is circumstantial and been in the late 880s (Keynes 1999). The abbey the form and extent of this settlement is not appears to have prospered during the 10 th cen- known. However, the positions of some of tury and retained its Alfredian identity as a place Shaftesbury’s twelve medieval churches may particularly associated with the royal family: provide a clue and, while none of them can be Queen Aelfgifu was buried in the abbey in 946. definitely traced back into the Saxon period, it It continued to attract women from the upper has been noted that towns founded in the levels of West Saxon society during the 10 th Saxon period generally have a large number of century (Keynes 1999). By the end of the Saxon churches within small parishes. This is in con- period, it had become the richest Benedictine trast to towns founded after the Norman Con- nunnery in England. This was helped in no quest, which tend to have only one or two par- small part by the association of Shaftesbury ish churches (Morris 1989 168-226; Schofield with the relics of King Edward the Martyr, who and Vince 1994, 147). The area of Shaftesbury was murdered by his stepmother near Corfe outside the burh and abbey would certainly fit Castle in 979. Originally buried at Wareham, his the Saxon pattern and the locations of the remains were dug up and transported to Shaft- churches could indicate areas of late Saxon esbury as relics. This raised the profile of the extra-mural settlement. St Peter’s and St An- abbey, which became an important place of drew’s churches along High Street and St Laur- pilgrimage. Eventually the dedication of the ab- ence’s Church on Bell Street (formerly St Laur- bey was changed from St Mary to SS Mary and ence Street) suggest the expansion of settle- Edward. The town was known as ‘the town of ment along these streets. There has also been Saint Edward’ or sometimes ‘Edwardistowe’ a small number of finds of Saxo-Norman pottery from the 11 th century and most particularly dur- from the High Street area (Bellamy 2003b, Keen ing the 12 th and 13 th centuries (Mills 1989, 111). 1977) and 10th-11th century features have The town of Shaftesbury seems to have flour- been excavated at the Crown Public House ished. This is partly due to its location at the (Heaton 2003). St Martin’s Church on the corner point where the main road from Wiltshire and of High Street and Salisbury Street may indicate Hampshire crosses into Dorset on its way to the extent of settlement along High Street to the Sherborne and the west. It is also on a main east. The Saxon settlement at Barton, perhaps route to Dorchester in the south and Bath and on the edge of the late Saxon extra-mural set- Somerset in the north. Shaftesbury lies between tlement, has been described above. the downland of Salisbury Plain and the pasture St James may have its origins as a late Saxon of the Blackmore Vale, in a good position to suburban settlement below the hilltop to the exploit exchange between the two different agri- south of the burh on the road to Sturminster cultural areas. The town also benefited from the Newton. There are three churches recorded patronage of the abbey, one of the richest in England. In Athelstan’s reign (925-939) Shaftes- here in the medieval period. bury is referred to as a ‘port’ with two moneyers St Rumbold’s Church lay on the road to Salis- (Penn 1980, 84). A hoard of 92 coins of Aethel- bury outside Shaftesbury in the tithing of the red II was deposited in 1102-3 just outside the manor of Barton and Cann in Melbury Abbas Saxon town (in the Bleke Street area). It con- parish, which had been acquired by the Abbey tained coins from 21 different mints, with over in 975. It was probably founded as a dependent half the coins coming from York, Chester and church or chapel of the abbey in the 11 th cen- Lincoln and only one coin from Shaftesbury tury (SDAG 1990). This may have stimulated (Dolley 1956). This suggests that Shaftesbury some suburban growth along the road and fo- formed part of an extensive trade network by cussed on the church, though there is no evi- the 11 th century. It was listed as one of only four dence for the date, form and extent of this set- Dorset boroughs in Domesday and was clearly tlement. a town of some importance, second in size only to Wareham in Dorset, with 256 houses com- pared to 285 in Wareham (Thorn and Thorn 26 Dorset Historic Towns Survey: Shaftesbury Figure 8: Shaftesbury Saxon Town Plan Components 5.1.2 Town Layout dage.
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