Milecastle 12

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Milecastle 12
Northumberland, England, UK
Hadrian's Wall, Heddon-on-the Wall - geograph.org.uk - 82724.jpg
The curtain wall in Heddon-on-the-Wall (east of Milecastle 12). The Vallum ditch can be seen running parallel in the field at right.
Northumberland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Milecastle 12
Location in Northumberland
Coordinates 54°59′48″N1°47′23″W / 54.996768°N 1.789811°W / 54.996768; -1.789811 Coordinates: 54°59′48″N1°47′23″W / 54.996768°N 1.789811°W / 54.996768; -1.789811
Grid reference NZ135669

Milecastle 12 (Heddon) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains lay under Town Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall, (just opposite the farm house) with nothing visible on the surface. [1]

Contents

Construction

Milecastle 12 is of unknown axis and gateway types. [2]

Excavations and investigations

Associated turrets

Each milecastle on Hadrian's Wall had two associated turret structures. These turrets were positioned approximately one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the Milecastle, and would probably have been manned by part of the milecastle's garrison. The turrets associated with Milecastle 12 are known as Turret 12A and Turret 12B.

Turret 12A

Turret 12A (Heddon West) is located beside (and mainly beneath) the B6318 Military Road a short distance West North West of Heddon-on-the-Wall. [4] No surface traces are currently visible. [5]

The turret was located in 1928 as 548 yards (501 m) west of Milecastle 12. This location was confirmed by a partial excavation in 1930. It was found that the walls were reduced to ground level beyond the edge of the roadway, but had the same plan as Turret 12B. However, the platform (which occupied the South side of the interior of Turrets 12B and 13A), was too badly robbed for any trace to remain. [5] The mortared walls were recorded as 1.22 metres (4.0 ft) thick, with the doorway lying to the east. [2]
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54°59′53″N1°47′51″W / 54.998174°N 1.797620°W / 54.998174; -1.797620 (Turret 12A) [4]

Turret 12B

Turret 12B (North Lodge) is located beside the Military Road (at a point where the B6318 is diverted away from it, but it still exists as a narrow metaled track). It was located in 1928, 543 yards from Turret 12a and 529 yards from Milecastle 13. It was excavated in 1930, and found to be almost identical in plan to Turret 12A. The platform was rectangular and occupied the south side of the interior. [6]
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54°59′57″N1°48′19″W / 54.999264°N 1.805243°W / 54.999264; -1.805243 (Turret 12B) [4]

Monument records

MonumentMonument Number English Heritage Archive Number
Milecastle 1222775NZ 16 NW 3
Turret 12A22778NZ 16 NW 4
Turret 12B22781NZ 16 NW 5

Related Research Articles

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Milecastle 23

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Milecastle 27

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Milecastle 24

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Milecastle 25

Milecastle 25 (Codlawhill) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low platform, and are located to the south of the B6318 Military Road, nearly 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west of its junction with the A68.

Milecastle 26

Milecastle 26 (Planetrees) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its position is slightly to the south of, but mostly covered by the B6318 Military Road., and it is located around 700 metres (0.43 mi) east of the B6318 Military Road's junction with the A6079. No visible traces exist currently. The dimensions are the same as Milecastles 23, 24, and 25.

Milecastle 28

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Milecastle 30

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Milecastle 31

Milecastle 31 (Carrawburgh) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a turf covered platform beside the B6318 Military Road, just to the east of Carrawburgh fort.

Milecastle 32

Milecastle 32 (Carraw) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as earthworks and with no exposed masonry. The layout of the milecastle walls is defined by robber trenches (to a maximum depth of 0.3 metres. The north wall is beneath a modern wall.

Milecastle 33

Milecastle 33 was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall, one of a series of small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along the length of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern England.

Milecastle 34

Milecastle 34 (Grindon) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. There are no visible remains, but the site is within a small, tree-filled, walled enclosure located around 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) east of Sewingshields farm.

References

  1. 1 2 Hope Dodds, Madeleine (1930). Northumberland County History. Vol. 13 : The Parishes of Heddon-on-the-Wall, Newburn, Longbenton, Wallsend, the Chapelries of Gosforth and Cramlington, the Townships of Benwell, Elswick, Heaton, Byker, Fenham, & Jesmond [in Newcastle-upon-Tyne]. The Northumberland County History Committee. p. 537.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Breeze, David J (1934), Handbook to the Roman Wall (14th Revised edition – Nov 2006), Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, pp. 166–167, ISBN   0-901082-65-1
  3. 1 2 "Milecastle 12". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 OL43: Hadrian’s Wall (Map). 1:25 000. OS Explorer Map. Cartography by Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey. 9 November 2009. ISBN   978-0-319-24109-7. OL43.
  5. 1 2 "Turret 12A". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  6. "Turret 12B". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2010.

Bibliography