| Summary : The site of Roman temporary camp Haltwhistle Burn 2, surviving as an earthwork. Between the Vallum and the fortlet three camps were constructed, one of which was later halved in size. The chronological relationship of the camps to the other features of Roman date in the immediate vicinity is unknown. The area around the fortlet has been disturbed by watercourses and by the tracks and tramways associated with the C19th ironstone mines 400 m to the E. The scarps on the E bank of the burn have also been extensively quarried away. Camps 2 and 3 lie on an almost level shelf 30 m to the ENE of camp 1 and 3.5 m below its highest point in the SE. Camp 2 is square on plan, measures 94 m across and encloses an area of 0.7 ha (1.7 acres). At a later date it was divided into two by a rampart and ditch that extends E to W across the axis. The secondary camp thus formed, Camp 3, occupies the N half of its predecessor and takes in an area of only 0.3 ha (0.8 acres). The rampart of each camp stands to a maximum height of 0.3 m internally and the external ditch is now no more than 0.3 m deep. There are three entrances to Camp 2 visible at medial points in the N S and E sides respectively; each has the remains of a traverse compising a bank up to 0.3 m high and a ditch up to 0.1 m deep. The N and S entrances have been widened by the incursion of seasonal watercourses; in the N the watercourse has destroyed the ditch of the traverse. The E entrance to camp 2 is effectively blocked by the SE corner of camp 3 but excavations in 1907-8 confirmed the existence of the causeway at this point. Old trackways have denuded and truncated the bank of the E traverse and the end of the ditch on the S side of the centrally placed entrance to camp 2. There is no sign of the W entrance, for the appropriate stretch of the W rampart has been eroded by a broad seasonal watercourse; the putative position for a traverse is occupied by the track that skirts this side of the camp. |
More information : [NY 71606636] ROMAN CAMP [G.S.] (1)
A Roman temporary camp, in good condition and measuring 380 ft. E-W by 135 ft. N-S, lies north by east of Haltwhistle Burn fort [NY 76 NW 15]. An annexe attached to the south measures 283 ft. E-W and 148 ft. N-S. The only gates are in the S. sides of both camp and annexe, each protected by straight traverses. (2)
A probable third gate and traverse occurs in the northern rampart, the traverse being represented by a low spread mound 0.1 m. high. (3)
The remains are generally as described, but in poor condition. There is now no trace of a traverse opposite the gate in the northern rampart. Resurveyed at 1/2500. (4)
Good aerial photographs of site. (5-6)
This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
Between the Vallum and the fortlet (NY 76 NW 15) three camps were constructed, one of which was later halved in size. The chronological relationship of the camps to the other features of Roman date in the immediate vicinity is unknown. The area around the fortlet has been disturbed by watercourses and by the tracks and tramways associated with the 19th-century ironstone mines 400 m to the E. The scarps on the E bank of the burn have also been extensively quarried away. Camps 2 and 3 lie on an almost level shelf 30 m to the ENE of camp 1 and 3.5 m below its highest point in the SE. Camp 2 is square on plan, measures 94 m across and encloses an area of 0.7 ha (1.7 acres). At a later date it was divided into two by a rampart and ditch that extends E to W across the axis. The secondary camp thus formed, Camp 3, occupies the N half of its predecessor and takes in an area of only 0.3 ha (0.8 acres). The rampart of each camp stands to a maximum height of 0.3 m internally and the external ditch is now no more than 0.3 m deep. There are three entrances to Camp 2 visible at medial points in the N, S and E sides respectively; each has the remains of a traverse compising a bank up to 0.3 m high and a ditch up to 0.1 m deep. The N and S entrances have been widened by the incursion of seasonal watercourses; in the N the watercourse has destroyed the ditch of the traverse. The E entrance to camp 2 is effectively blocked by the SE corner of camp 3 but excavations in 1907-8 confirmed the existence of the causeway at this point (Gibson and Simpson 1909, 261 (see auth 3)).
Old trackways have denuded and truncated the bank of the E traverse and the end of the ditch on the S side of the centrally placed entrance to camp 2. There is no sign of the W entrance, for the appropriate stretch of the W rampart has been eroded by a broad seasonal watercourse; the putative position for a traverse is occupied by the track that skirts this side of the camp. An unusual feature of camp 2 is the closeness of the traverses to the line of the defences, the distance between the inner edge of the traverse bank and the outer edge of the ditch being only about 1.5 m. The E rampart and ditch of camp 3 may have been reconstructed for they appear to be offset by about 1 m from those of the earlier earthwork (Gibson and Simpson 1909, 261 (see auth 3). The camps share a common N entrance but the new S rampart was provided with a gate at the midpoint. The well-preserved traverse lies about 3.5 m beyond the outer lip of the ditch of the camp. The defences are somewhat mutilated by natural drainage and a grass track bisecting the camp has cut the E and W ramparts. There is, however, no evidence of entrances on either side of these sides. Within the camp are the turf-covered remains of two structures of unknown purpose each 0.1 m high. One is approximately square and is bounded by a bank with two stones exposed in the NE corner; the other is U-shaped with a depression in the centre. An area of cord-rig cultivation, presumably prehistoric in date, survives to the SE of camp 2. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (7)
Additional reference. (8)
Published source. (9)
Camp 2 & 3 were recorded from aerial photographs at a scale of 1:10000 as part of the Hadrian's Wall World heritage Site Mapping Project. (10)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (11) |