| Summary : The site of Roman temporary camp Haltwhistle Burn 4, surviving as an earthwork,and clearly visible on aerial photographs. In the area 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 400m to the E. The scarps on the E bank of the burn have also been extensively quarried away. Camp 4 is exceptionally small and is situated 45 m S of the Vallum, at a height of about 180 m above OD, close to the bottom of a shallow valley. It occupies the lowest lying and most poorly drained site of any of the camps in the Haltwhistle Burn group. Although it enjoys comparatively wide views to the E and W, the camp would have been immediately overlooked from the N by the former Burnhead Crag along which Hadrian's Wall was constructed. Only slight traces of the rampart are discernible, for it is no more than 0.1 m in height, and is spread to a width of about 3 m; it encloses a tiny area measuring approximately 19 m from E to W by 16 m transversely. The depth of the silted external ditch ranges from 0.1 m to 0.2 m. There are two opposed entrances, on the E and in the W, each approximately 3.5 m wide; no evidence of traverses or claviculae has been noted. Because of its weak defensive position the camp is unlikely to predate Hadrian's Wall. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. |
More information : A small camp, at NY 714664, has just been found on Haltwhistle Common just south of the Vallum and about 1000 ft. N. of the centre of Haltwhistle Burn fort (Ny 76 NW 15). It is only about 100 ft. square and the earthworks are so slight as to be hardly noticeable even from the air, except in December sunlight, which picked out the straight sides and rounded angles. The one visible gate lies in the W. side. (1)
NY 71386645. A small camp, much reduced by cultivation, measuring 24.0m. E-W by 21.5m. transversely from centre to centre of the rampart outside which there is a slight ditch. There are indications on entrance gaps placed centrally in the E. and W. sides, but no trace of traverses/claviculae can be seen. Probably a practice work.
Surveyed at 1:10560. (2)
Good aerial photographs of the site. (3-4)
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 400m to the E. The scarps on the E bank of the burn have also been extensively quarried away. Camp 4 is exceptionally small and is situated 45 m S of the Vallum, at a height of about 180 m above OD, close to the bottom of a shallow valley. It occupies the lowest lying and most poorly drained site of any of the camps in the Haltwhistle Burn group. Although it enjoys comparatively wide views to the E and W, the camp would have been immediately overlooked from the N by the former Burnhead Crag along which Hadrian's Wall was constructed. Only slight traces of the rampart are discernible, for it is no more than 0.1 m in height, and is spread to a width of about 3 m; it encloses a tiny area measuring approximately 19 m from E to W by 16 m transversely. The depth of the silted external ditch ranges from 0.1 m to 0.2 m. There are two opposed entrances, on the E and in the W, each approximately 3.5 m wide; no evidence of traverses or claviculae has been noted. Because of its weak defensive position the camp is unlikely to predate Hadrian's Wall. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (5)
Additional reference. (6)
Published reference. (7)
The camp was recorded at a scale of 1:10000 from aerial photographs as part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site Mapping Project. (8)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (9) |