| Summary : The site of the Roman fort at Stanwix (also known as Petriana), overlying the presumed site of Turret 65b. A watching brief on building work behind the Crown and Thistle Inn within the area of the fort showed that Roman layers had been removed by later levelling. UXELODUNUM identified as the Roman fort at Stanwix, "Petrianis" probably being a copyist's error derived from the name of the fourth century garrison. A minimum sequence for Stanwix fort is postulated: 1. Small timber fort on Turf Wall. 2. Vallum placed to avoid this fort. 3. Possible conversion of primary fort to stone with a re-building of Wall in stone. 4. Fort expanded to north and west to accommodate the ala Petriana. Running south-west to north-east within Stanwix graveyard is a low, spread bank, at best 0.3m high, which generally conforms to the line of the south wall of the fort; the Ordnance Survey depiction is rather exaggerated (RCHME Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4056/9). There is no other visible trace of the fort except for the masonry displayed in the car park of the Cumbria Park hotel (NY 4006 5713) (Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4057/24). From NY 4012 5721 the topography falls away to the north-west suggesting that the fort, in extending north beyond Hadrian's Wall was pushed to the edge of the escarpment (Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4057/29); the fort may also have extended to the south to impinge on the Vallum. |
More information : (NY 402 571) Roman Fort (R) (Site of) (NAT) (1)
The Roman Wall-fort of Petriana at Stanwix was investigated by Simpson and Richmond in 1939-40 and the line of the walls established; an angle tower and an interval tower were located. The south rampart is clearly visible in the churchyard. The fort was 580 x 700 feet and would hold a cavalry regiment 1000 strong, which can only have been the ala Petriana. A barrack-like building and a granary have been found under the school yard. Sculptured and inscribed stones (including a dedication set up in AD167, found to the west of the fort in 1931) an altar, coins and pottery etc from the site are mainly in Tullie House and Newcastle Museums. A diversion of the Vallum near the fort site suggests that a slightly smaller Hadrianic turf fort may have preceded its stone successor, not necessarily on the same alignment. By calculation Turret 65B should lie under the fort. (2-4)
All that remains of the fort is the portion of rampart to the south of the church. This has been reduced so much that it is barely discernable.
Published survey 1:1250 revised.
Name 'VXELODVNVM' ? accepted for 4th edition Roman Britain Map. (5)
Excavation to the rear of the Cumbria Park Hotel in 1984 uncovered the remains of a previously unsuspected north curtain wall, rampart and interval tower of the fort. Pottery dates the rampart's construction to the Antonine period. There was a distinct absence of 3rd and 4th century pottery from the site. The presence of 3 detected ditches hinted at the complexity of the construction and 3 or more periods of development. (6)
(Turret 65B is now recorded separately as NY 45 NW 156)
Central Excavation Unit watching brief of building work behind the Crown and Thistle Inn within the area of the fort showed that Roman layers had been removed by later levelling (7a). UXELODUNUM identified as the Roman fort at Stanwix, "Petrianis" probably being a copyist's error derived from the name of the fourth century garrison (7b). A minimum sequence for Stanwix fort is postulated:
1. Small timber fort on Turf Wall.
2. Vallum placed to avoid this fort.
3. Possible conversion of primary fort to stone with a re-building of Wall in stone.
4. Fort expanded to north and west to accommodate the ala Petriana (7c). Running south-west to north-east within Stanwix graveyard is a low, spread bank, at best 0.3m high, which generally conforms to the line of the south wall of the fort; the Ordnance Survey depiction is rather exaggerated (RCHME Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4056/9). There is no other visible trace of the fort except for the masonry displayed in the car park of the Cumbria Park hotel (NY 4006 5713) (Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4057/24). From NY 4012 5721 the topography falls away to the north-west suggesting that the fort, in extending north beyond Hadrian's Wall was pushed to the edge of the escarpment (Hadrian's Wall Project NY 4057/29); the fort may also have extended to the south to impinge on the Vallum. (7)
Scheduled. (8)
No evidence of the fort was seen on available air photographs. (9)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (10)
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