| Summary : The site of Roman milecastle 10, part of the defences on Hadrian's Wall. The northern gateway is preserved in the garden of Dene House. It is two courses high on either side of the entrance, and consists of twelve foundation slabs - the east of which is chamfered - and three blocks of the second course. Other blocks are located upon the fondation slabs but are smaller and appear out of place. One stone inscribed with a symbol resembling an asterisk stands within and on the west side of the entrance. Two pivot-holes survive, one on either side of the entrance; and the western-most block of the upper course displays a lewis-hole in its upper surface. No other adjacent features were located. The southern part of the milecastle is located in the field to the south of the road, and is still visible as a low amorphous mound rising no more than 0.4 metres above the present ground surface. The milecastle was investigated as part of the Milecastle Project in 1999. Two trenches were excavated, one across the west wall, and the other across the east wall. The excavations revealed that east-west it measured 14.76 metres, and the exterior walls were 2.98m thick. The north-south length of the milecastle measured 17.68 metres. There appeared to be a hiatus in the building of the north gate, represented by differing standards of workmanship. An oven was identified in the south-west corner of the fort. |
More information : NZ 1645 6675. Milecastle. (GS) (site of) (1)
The north gateway of Milecastle 10, at Dene House, Walbottle, was exposed in 1864 (2). Excavation in 1928 uncovered a fragment of the south gateway and south-west corner and showed the Milecastle to be 58ft. (N-S) by 47ft internally; its walls are of the same thickness and construction as the broad wall (3). The remains of the north gateway are still to be seen. (2-4)
A centurial stone inscribed "c (entvria) Car (..." was found at the Milecastle in 1864, and is now in the Black Gate Museum. It has been variously mis-read and (Bruce, AA (2) 12, 1866, 10), wrongly ascribed it to Housesteads. (5)
The only visible remains are the foundations of the north gateway. (6)
The foundations of part of the north wall of the milecastle (6.4m long, 1.0m wide and 0.15m maximum height) surmounted by three large stone blocks 0.7m maximum height are still extant. See ground photographs.
Published Survey (1/2500) revised. (7)
The 1864 excavations (Authority 2) exposed the north gateway of Milecastle 10 which survived up to two courses high on either side of an entrance "about eleven feet" (3.3m) wide. The south gateway was also excavated, but the centre of the milecastle appears to have remained unexcavated beneath the road which crosses the site (8a). Excavations in 1928 re-examined the south gateway which survived in the field to the south of the road, and established the dimensions of the milecastle. The overall length of the milecastle from north-south was found to be 78ft 2 ins (23.8m), and 67ft (20.4m) wide transversely. The milecastle walls were 10ft (3.04m) wide with rounded corners in the south. Little of the east wall survived, no internal buildings were located (8b). NY 1647 6676. The northern gateway of the milecastle is preserved in the garden of Dene House. It is two courses high on either side of the entrance, and consists of twelve foundation slabs - the east of which is chamfered - and three blocks of the second course. Other blocks are located upon the fondation slabs but are smaller and appear out of place. One stone inscribed with a symbol resembling an asterisk stands within and on the west side of the entrance. Two pivot-holes survive, one on either side of the entrance; and the western-most block of the upper course displays a lewis-hole in its upper surface. No other adjacent features were located. The southern part of the milecastle is located in the field to the south of the road, and is still visible as a low amorphous mound rising no more than 0.4m above the present ground surface. Not surveyable. (The centurial stone is now recorded separately, see NZ 16 NE 50). (8)
The milecastle was investigated as part of the Milecastle Project in 1999.Two trenches were excavated, one across the west wall, and the other across the east wall. The excavations revealed that east-west it measured 14.76 metres, and the exterior walls were 2.98m thick. The north-south length of the milecastle measured 17.68 metres. There appeared to be a hiatus in the building of the north gate, represented by differing standards of workmanship. An oven was identified in the south-west corner of the fort. (9-10)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (11)
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