More information : (NU 10151133) New Roman fort. (1)
"Ditches suggested by one of St Joseph's prints. Excavation
discovered much Roman stuff, including roofing tiles and Antonine
pottery". (2)
Heaps of turf and stone near the homestead of Low Learchild indicate
that it was once a more considerable place. In the surrounding
green are remains of old earthen enclosures. (3)
Extends from NU 10101146 to NU 10191124. The situation of the fort is
on a slight rise with a fine view on all sides except where
overlooked by the high ground about 600.m to the east. Surface
indications are very slight,the fields concerned, although now under
pasture, have been ploughed many times. There is a 'bump' in the
occupation road at NU 10101146 which marks the northern rampart, and
another in the hedge at NU 10191139 indicates the eastern limit of
the fort.
In the two fields to the east of the road the rampart is visible
when viewed from a distance as a very slight bank, but none of the
slopes are surveyable. The fields to the west of the road are ridge
and furrow ploughed and show no traces of the rampart. There are no
surface indications in the fields south of the disused railway.
Hodgson refers to old field banks in the vicinity of the present
farm buildings. These are merely old enclosures attached to the
farm and have no archaeological significance. (4)
The east and north sides of two successive forts were
revealed during investigations by I A Richmond. The
earlier, contained within the other, was defended by two double
ditches 8 feet wide and 8 feet apart, which had been deliberately
filled with turf. The east side was at least 250 feet long and the
north at least 130 feet long. The later fort, of which the ditch
yielded some coarse ware of second century date, had an east side at
least 760 feet long and a north side at least 250 feet long. It was
defended by a single ditch 15 feet wide and a clay rampart 23 feet
wide.
First and second-century pottery from the site was recovered by the
late Sir Walter Aitchison in 1946. (5)
Although the site is at present under pasture, further ploughing in
recent years has obliterated all traces of the work apart from a
broad ground swelling representing the NE angle. (6)
Alauna, situated on the River Aln, Northumberland.
Name 'ALAVNA'? accepted for 4th. edition R.B.Map. (7)
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