Milecastle 3

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Milecastle 3
Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Crawford's Bridge, Ouseburn - geograph.org.uk - 1775388.jpg
Milecastle 3 probably overlooked the Ouseburn ravine
Location
Tyne and Wear UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Milecastle 3
Location in Tyne and Wear
Coordinates 54°58′33″N1°35′20″W / 54.975901°N 1.589009°W / 54.975901; -1.589009
Grid reference NZ26406466

Milecastle 3 (Ouseburn) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. No remains exist, but it was thought to have been located at the junction of the A187 Byker Bridge and Stephen Street.

Contents

Construction

No evidence exists as to the configuration or type of Milecastle 3, though the curtain wall at this stage was almost certainly a narrow configuration. [1]

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 3 are known as Turret 3A and Turret 3B.

Turret 3A

Nothing is known of Turret 3A and it was presumed to be located around 54°58′30″N1°35′46″W / 54.974892°N 1.596128°W / 54.974892; -1.596128 (Turret 3A) . [6] In September 2022 Pre-Construct Archaeology announced that they had located the turret at approximately 54°58′28″N1°35′44.5″W / 54.97444°N 1.595694°W / 54.97444; -1.595694 , during surveys in advance of construction of student accommodation. Excavations found the walls of the turret in addition to a ditch and six obstacle pits. Turret 3A became the most easterly known turret on the wall. The turret was recorded as having a length of around 12 metres (39 ft) and foundations of 2.36–2.46 metres (7 ft 9 in – 8 ft 1 in) in width. The interior of the turret is thought to have been truncated by late 19th or early 20th century construction work. A Roman tegula tile was recovered, suggesting that the turret may have had a tiled roof. [7]

Turret 3B

Nothing is known of Turret 3B. [8]
Presumed location: 54°58′20″N1°36′09″W / 54.972217°N 1.602403°W / 54.972217; -1.602403 (Turret 3B)

Monument records

MonumentMonument Number English Heritage Archive Number
Milecastle 324904NZ 26 SE 15
Turret 3A24907NZ 26 SE 16
Turret 3B24912NZ 26 SE 17

References

  1. 1 2 Breeze, David J (1934), Handbook to the Roman Wall (14th Revised edition - Nov 2006), Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, ISBN   0-901082-65-1 {{citation}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  2. Horsley, John (1732), Britannia Romana or the Roman Antiquities of Britain, Frank Graham (published 1974), ISBN   0-85983-090-X {{citation}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  3. Stukeley, William (1776). Itinerarium Curiosum: or, An account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great Britain (2nd ed.). London: Baker & Leigh. ISBN   0-576-19312-7.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  4. Brand, John (1 January 1789). The History and Antiquities of Newcastle upon Tyne. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). B White & Son. p. 138.
  5. 1 2 3 "Milecastle 3". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  6. "Turret 3A". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  7. "Archaeologists uncover remains of Roman turret at Hadrian's Wall". HeritageDaily. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  8. "Turret 3B". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.

Bibliography