| Print | More

NEWBROUGH ROMAN FORT

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

The site of a possible Roman fort. Excavations uncovered the possible site of a Roman fort in the churchyard; it may have had two periods of occupation: a late first century phase and an early 4th century phase. There are no visible remains.

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

[NY 86806799] Roman Fortlet [R] (site of) (1)

A Roman fort measuring from the outer faces of the ramparts about 195 feet North-South by 190 feet East-West, occupying the site of St Peter's churchyard, Newbrough, was excavated by Simpson in 1930. The defences consisted of a typical Roman defensive ditch 15 feet wide by 5 feet deep and a masonry rampart wall 4 feet thick, set back about 16 feet from the ditch. An apparent causeway was visible across the ditch in the middle of the south side. The fort is identical in size with the Stanegate forts at Haltwhistle Burn and Throp, but whereas the two latter are dated by pottery to the early 2nd century, certainly not later than Hadrian, the pottery and a coin of Constantine from Newbrough belong to the mid-4th century. Moreover, while stone ramparts of the Hadrianic period, such as Haltwhistle Burn, invariably had an earthwork backing, the Newbrough wall had no backing; the masonry appeared to be largely re-used material and the wall was of the same thickness as the walls of the Yorkshire coast signal stations of circa 370 AD, which also had no earth-work backing. The fort halves what would otherwise be the longest gap in the chain of Stanegate forts, and the explanation may be that it was originally contemporary with Haltwhistle Burn and Throp and that, after a brief occupation, it was deserted until the re-organization of the frontier in the reign of Constans. (2)

A cohort fort in the Stanegate series would be expected here, but extension of the churchyard has prevented further excavation and the existence of such a fort must remain conjectural. (3)

No surveyable outline of this fortlet survives. There are no apparent indications of a cohort fort in the area described, nor is anything visible on air photographs (RAF 1946). See attached sketch-plan by Hepple for position of fortlet. (4)

Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

6" 1972

( 2) Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne

(F G Simpson) 4, 1929-30 Page(s)163-5

( 3) by Eric Birley 1961 Research on Hadrian's Wall

Page(s)147-9

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ECW 21-DEC-65

( 4a) Externally held archive reference

MS Plan of Newbrough Fort Feb 1930 (J Hepple) (Original at Durham University)

(5) English Heritage 2010 An Archaeological Map of Hadrian's Wall, 1:25,000 scale

RELATED MONUMENTS

+ / -

Monument Name/No

Resources

Description

MONUMENT NO. 16259
NEWBROUGH

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

The site of an Iron Age palisaded sub-rectangular enclosure seen as cropmarks.

RED HOUSE
NEWBROUGH

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

The site of a Roman enclosure. A large undated rectilinear enclosure is visible as a cropmark. The site is scheduled as a Roman temporary camp.

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Archives
EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
National Heritage List for England
English Heritage Archive
ViewFinder