| Summary : The site of a Roman temporary camp (White Moss I) visible as a cropmark. A complex of cropmarks at Moss Side, first observed in 1949, consists principally of two superimposed camps, the smaller of which is described in this record. The features occupy the almost flat top of a slightly elevated plateau, a little over 30 m above OD, affording uninterrupted views in all directions. The ground falls away gently on the N, S and W sides just beyond the perimeter of the larger camp and its annexe, and there is a peat bog to the NE known as White Moss. The camps lie 1.8 km to the W of Watchclose camp, just over 300 m N of the course of the Stanegate; the Vallum, Hadrian's Wall and Milecastle 61 lie about 400 m to the N. The smaller camp, camp 1, is an almost exact parallelogram measuring about 114 m from E to W by 86 m from N to S, and covers an area slightly less than 1.0 ha (2.4 acres). There are centrally placed gates in the shorter E and W sides; that in the former is guarded by a traverse, as may be that in the latter. Though the evidence for the long N and S sides is incomplete, the W part of the S ditch appears unbroken and the W part of the N ditch is virtually so. This suggests that any lateral entrances would probably have lain in the E sector of the enclosure. From this it may be surmised that the camp faced E. There is no evidence to clarify the relationship between the camps. The clearer definition and more substantial character of the ditches of camp 2 could indicate a later date, the assumption being that a less substantial work is unlikely to have been built across the remains of a stronger and larger one. The argument, however, is not compelling. The camp has been mapped from aerial photographs by English Heritage's Hadrian's Wall NMP. |
More information : On Moss Side farm two new temporary camps appeared in 1949 as parch marks in grass fields. The position of the N side of the larger camp is not quite certain, but it appears to be circa 600 x 880 ft and gates are visible in the S and W ramparts. The smaller camp circa 360 x 270 ft overlaps the W side of the large camp, but it is not clear which is the earlier. This camp has a gate with a tutulus in the centre of the E side. (1)
(Centred: NY 457603) Roman Camp (R) (Site of)
Visited 30 8 49. (2-3)
Photography has added a little more to the known out-line of the Roman camps (NY 457604) including the position of a gate in the E side of the larger camp. (4)
Nothing visible on the ground. (5)
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.
NY 46 SE 17 now assigned to camp 1 only; camp 2 now recorded as NY 46 SE 31.
A complex of cropmarks at Moss Side, first observed in 1949, consists principally of two superimposed camps (St Joseph 1951, 55; 1965, 78 (see auth 1); CUCAP DI 45-8 (6a)). Of these, the larger, Camp 2, possesses what seems best interpreted as an annexe on its N side. The features occupy the almost flat top of a slightly elevated plateau, a little over 30 m above OD, affording uninterrupted views in all directions. The ground falls away gently on the N, S and W sides just beyond the perimeter of the larger camp and its annexe, and there is a peat bog to the NE known as White Moss. The camps lie 1.8 km to the W of Watchclose camp, just over 300 m N of the course of the Stanegate; the Vallum, Hadrian's Wall and Milecastle 61 lie about 400 m to the N. The smaller camp, 1, is an almost exact parallelogram measuring about 114 m from E to W by 86 m from N to S, and covers an area slightly less than 1.0 ha (2.4 acres). There are centrally placed gates in the shorter E and W sides; that in the former is guarded by a traverse, as may be that in the latter (NMR AP NY 4560/7-8 (6b)). Though the evidence for the long N and S sides is incomplete, the W part of the S ditch appears unbroken and the W part of the N ditch is virtually so. This suggests that any lateral entrances would probably have lain in the E sector of the enclosure. From this it may be surmised that the camp faced E. There is no evidence to clarify the relationship between the camps. The clearer definition and more substantial character of the ditches of camp 2 could indicate a later date, the assumption being that a less substantial work is unlikely to have been built across the remains of a stronger and larger one. The argument, however, is not compelling. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (6)
NY 456604 Roman temporary camp NW of Moss Side; scheduled. (7)
The camp has been mapped from aerial photographs by English Heritage's Hadrian's Wall NMP. The details were as described by authority 6, although the use of more accurate mapping techniques resulted in a slight change in position. The dimensions recorded by the NMP survey were 115.3 metres by 87.7 metres. Photographs taken in 1995 allowed the side ditches to be recorded in more detail, and suggested an entrance gap towards the east end of the south side, and a less distinct corresponding gap in the north side. The traverse associated with the east entrance was clearly visible, and there were possible traces of a treverse ditch or ditches at the west entrance. Possible internal pits were recorded along the west side. (10)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (11) |