The Arcades
Merchants' house fronts blocked up in stone after the 1338 raid and turned into the wall itself, their arches still visible along Western Esplanade.
The sea used to lap at the foot of these walls on their western side. Today they face the Westquay shopping centre and its car parks, built on land reclaimed long after the masons had gone. That collision is the first thing you notice about Southampton's walls: fourteenth-century stone staring at glass frontages and bus lanes. Roughly half of the original circuit of about two kilometres survives, mostly along the north and west, with 13 of the 29 towers and six of the eight gates still standing, which puts them among the best-preserved town walls in England. The story behind them is one of humiliation. In 1338 a French force landed, looted and burned the town with little resistance, because its wealthy merchants had built their houses on the shore with doors opening straight onto the water. Edward III ordered the whole town walled, and the oddest solution, finished around 1380, is the Arcades on Western Esplanade: the merchants' house fronts were simply blocked up in stone and absorbed into the wall, and their pointed arches are still plain to see. At the north-west corner stands the great drum of Arundel Tower; next to it Catchcold Tower, built specifically to carry guns, with three gunports; further south the three-storey Westgate, then God's House Tower, one of the earliest fortifications in England built specifically for cannon and now an arts and heritage centre with free entry to its galleries. The walls are free and open at any hour, since they are part of the street. A signed Old Town Walls Walk runs along the outside with information boards, but for safety you can only walk on top of a few short stretches, so do not expect a York or Chester experience. The stone stairs at the towers are steep and useless with a pushchair; the ground-level route itself is flat and easy. From Southampton Central station it is about a fifteen-minute walk to the Bargate, the sensible starting point. Be honest with yourself: this is not a sight to cross the country for on its own, but it becomes an excellent morning if you pair it with Tudor House and the Medieval Merchant's House on French Street, both a few steps away. Allow one to two hours and pick a dry day, because the stones turn slippery in rain and winter light fades before four.
Merchants' house fronts blocked up in stone after the 1338 raid and turned into the wall itself, their arches still visible along Western Esplanade.
The great drum tower at the north-west corner and its neighbour built to carry guns, the best spot for photographs.
An early artillery fort at the southern end, now an arts and heritage centre with a cafe, and free entry to its galleries.
Western Esplanade, Old Town, Southampton SO14
No, only on a few short stretches, for safety reasons. The main route runs beside the wall on the outside with information boards, so if walking a full circuit on top is what you want, York or Chester do it far better.
As a free hour's stroll, yes: the towers and arches hold young children's attention, and the Westquay centre with its restaurants is a few steps away. The tower stairs are steep, though, so keep the pushchair on the ground-level route and pair the walk with Tudor House.