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Milecastle 22 (Portgate) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low, turf covered platform just east of the Portgate roundabout (junction of the A68 and B6318). The platform is 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) on the east side, reducing to only a parch mark on the west side. [1]
Milecastle 22 was assumed to be a long-axis milecastle, and had Type III gateways (only the north gateway has been identified). Such milecastles were thought to have been constructed by the legio VI Victrix who were based in Eboracum (York). [2]
The milecastle was 16.76 metres (55.0 ft) across, but due to the location, the length of the other axis cannot be determined. It was constructed with Narrow Walls with a Standard B offset. [3]
Some time soon after construction of the milecastle, the north gateway was blocked by construction of a wall about 1 metre (3.3 ft) thick. It has been suggested that this is due to the proximity of the Portgate, rendering the milecastle redundant as a means of passage through the wall.
The curtain wall at this location was 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) wide. [3]
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 22 are known as Turret 22A and Turret 22B.
Situated between Milecastle 22 and Turret 22A is a structure known as the Portgate. This was a major gateway, allowing Dere Street to pass through the line of the Hadrian's Wall.
Turret 22A (Portgate) is (all but the south wall) buried beneath the Military Road. The south wall is under a fence immediately to the south of the road and does not project into the field. Excavation in 1930 revealed that the masonry was four courses high on the west side and three on the east. [5] The turret is of Standard A construction, indicating a change of builder since Milecastle 22. [3]
In 1850, a stone was found in the vicinity inscribed with the words Latin : "Fulgar divom" ("the lightning of the gods"). It is thought that this was set up where lightning had struck.
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 55°00′47″N2°01′31″W / 55.013139°N 2.025240°W
Turret 22B (Stanley) was located in 1930, alongside the Military Road, 10 yards (9.1 m) to the west of the lane leading to Portgate Farm. [4] There are no visible remains, the site being mainly covered by a modern road. [6]
The vallum around the area of Turret 22B was particularly well preserved, causing William Hutton to write [7]
I climbed over a stone wall to examine the wonder ... was fascinated, and unable to proceed; forgot I was on a wild common, a stranger, and the evening approaching ... lost in astonishment, I was not able to move at all.
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 55°00′51″N2°01′59″W / 55.014081°N 2.033184°W
Monument | Monument Number | English Heritage Archive Number |
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Milecastle 22 | 18163 | NY 96 NE 4 |
Turret 22A | 18171 | NY 96 NE 6 |
Turret 22B | 18174 | NY 96 NE 7 |
Milecastle 4 (Westgate Road) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist beneath the Newcastle Arts Centre at 67-75 Westgate Road. This position is some way away from its predicted position which is at these coordinates: 54.970440°N 1.608669°W The actual location is between the predicted positions of Turrets 4A and 4B, which has led to suggestions that the numbering and positioning of milecastles and turrets on this part of Hadrian's Wall should be reconsidered.
Milecastle 7 (Benwell Bank or Benwell Hill) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. The milecastle itself has not been discovered by archaeologists and its presumed location lies beneath a modern housing development. Roman finds have been made in the area and the associated structure of Turret 7B is a significant surviving structure of the wall.
Milecastle 8 (West Denton) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains are located in West Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne. The milecastle has two associated turret structures that are known as turret 8A and turret 8B. The turrets and milecastle were excavated in the 1920s, yielding some pottery and stone carvings, and have since been overlain by modern roads. The exact location of the structures is disputed, with the road hiding any surface traces. The Milecastle forms part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.
Milecastle 10 (Walbottle Dene) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. It is located near to the modern village of Throckley in Tyne and Wear, northern England. Much of the milecastle lies beneath a road but partial remains of the north wall can be seen in the garden of Dene House. It has been excavated several times and its walls located, though the remains have been "considerably damaged by ploughing". Only one of the two associated turrets has been located and excavated.
Milecastle 11 (Throckley Bank Top) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. No remains exist, but the measured position is the middle of the old village of Throckley Bank Top, under the Working Men's Club.
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.
Milecastle 13 (Rudchester Burn) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low platform south of the B6318 Military Road.
Milecastle 14 (March Burn) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low (maximum 0.4 metres (1.3 ft) on the west side) platform, south of the B6318 Military Road and about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the west of the road junction at Rudchester Farm.
Milecastle 15 (Whitchester) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a bold platform with robbed walls located on the southern side of the B6318 Military Road approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of its crossing of the A69 road. It has not been excavated.
Milecastle 19 (Matfen Piers) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Sited just to the east of the hamlet of Matfen Piers, the milecastle is today covered by the B6318 Military Road. The milecastle is notable for the discovery of an altar by Eric Birley in the 1930s. An inscription on the altar is one of the few dedications to a mother goddess found in Roman Britain, and was made by members of the First Cohort of Varduli from northern Spain. The presence of the Vardulians at this milecastle has led to debate amongst archaeologists over the origins of troops used to garrison the wall. A smaller altar was found at one of the two associated turrets.
Milecastle 23 (Stanley) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low, grass covered platform with traces of an external ditch (as Milecastle 25). It is located to the south of the B6318 Military Road around 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) west of its junction with the A68.
Milecastle 27 (Low Brunton) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. It was located on the line of Hadrian's Wall, approximately midway between the A6079 and the River North Tyne. Its remains survive as a slight squarish platform with a maximum height of 0.4 metres (1.3 ft), but it is poorly defined to the north and east.
Milecastle 24 (Wall Fell) 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 around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of its junction with the A68.
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 (about 1 metre (3.3 ft) high), nearly 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west of its junction with the A68.
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 miles) 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 29 (Tower Tye) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a mutilated earth platform accentuated by deep robber-trenches around all sides, and are located beside the B6318 Military Road. Like Milecastles 9, 23, 25, and 51, a ditch has been identified around the Milecastle, and is still visible to a small extent. It has been postulated that this was as a result of the need for drainage on the site.
Milecastle 30 (Limestone Corner) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as an outward-facing scarp with a maximum height of 0.8 metres (2.6 ft). Masonry from the east wall (both faces) remains in situ. The remaining stretch is 3.1 metres (10 ft) in length by 2.25 metres (7.4 ft) thick, and survives to a height of 0.6 metres (2.0 ft). It is located at the western part of Limestone Corner, just off the B6318 Military Road.
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 (still quite evident) by robber trenches (to a maximum depth of 0.3 metres (1 ft 0 in). The north wall is beneath a modern wall.
Milecastle 33 (Shield on the Wall) 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 (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.