1352 - Licence to Toll Ships and Build Town Wall

Harwich was granted a licence to build a town wall in 1338, although it was not actually completed until several years later.

Growing prosperity of the town also increased the rivalry with Ipswich for control of the harbour. When Edward III, in 1338, made a grant: 'to the Bailiffs and good men of Harwich, who intend to enclose the town with a wall, of murage for five years on things for sale coming by land or water to their town, or to the port of Orwell pertaining to the town'.

Ipswich protested and the grant was revoked.

This did not, however, stop Harwich from taking tolls on shipping and the need to strengthen the defences of the town brought them Royal support. Richard II (1377-1399) again granted murage to build walls and a castle at the north-east corner of the town.

The approximate line of the wall can be determined from old maps and could have run as follows:

Eastern & part of the southern length - A septaria wall. Outer defences consisted of large banks and ditches which ran southward alongside the main road out of Harwich. These may have been added later and reinforced at times of conflict.

Northern side - A palisade erected between the large stone buildings on the front

Western side - A bank, ditch and palisade cutting across marsh wasteland.

The town gate was situated near where the High Lighthouse now stands, and other gates were present along the northern and eastern lengths. A castle, probably just a large corner tower, stood at the northern corner.

The map below (rather large I'm afraid) shows the town just after this period. The medieval shore line super-imposed over todays shore line, whilst the lay out of the streets can clearly be seen to match almost exactly those of today. The castle stood were the Pier Hotel stands today, whilst the Electric Palace stands on ground previously occupied by a bank & ditch defence.