The Anglian tower was first discovered by workmen making a tunnel from St Leonard's Place to Mint Yard in 1839.

[2] More recent, assessments, however, have queried this dating on the basis of the lack of re-used stone to construct the tower, which was built out of newly-quarried limestone.

Moreover, assessments of the tooling and architectural details of the tower have been argued elsewhere to suggest a fourth or fifth-century date, which would make the wall late Roman rather than Anglian.

It may have served as a watchtower, a platform for archers or artillery, but there is no surviving evidence to substantiate any of these.

The remains stand to a height of over three metres, abutting up against the later Medieval City Wall.