| Milecastle 78 | |
|---|---|
 Hadrian's Wall Path near the site of Milecastle 78 | |
  Location within Cumbria | |
| Type | Milecastle |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54°56′28″N3°10′45″W / 54.941084°N 3.179285°W Coordinates: 54°56′28″N3°10′45″W / 54.941084°N 3.179285°W |
| County | Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Reference | |
| UK-OSNG reference | NY245613 |
Milecastle 78 (Kirkland) was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall (grid reference NY245613 ).
Milecastle 78 lies halfway between the villages of Glasson and Port Carlisle. It is northwest of an access road to a caravan park. [1] There are no remains visible above ground.
The vallum ditch can be traced in this area as a depression up to 0.8 metres deep. [1]
Milecastle 78 was first located and partially excavated in 1934. [2] Only the west wall was examined in the excavations and was found to be 2.8 metres wide. [1] One course of masonry stood upon the inner face; the outer face had been robbed. [2] The excavators did not record whether remains of the earlier turf and timber phase of the milecastle survive. [1]
The milecastle was investigated again in 2000 as part of the Milecastles Project. [2] Trenches were excavated across the west, south, and east walls of the milecastle. [2] The stone milecastle measured approximately 19.2 metres east-west, and 20.7 metres north-south externally. [2] The foundations of the walls were 2.5 metres wide. [2] A burnt feature, possibly a hearth or oven, was found in the southwest corner. [2] No evidence for the Turf Wall milecastle was recovered. [2]
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 78 are known as Turret 78A and Turret 78B.
Turret 78A (Kirkland) (grid reference NY24316175 ) lies 20 metres northwest of Kirkland farm-buildings in the line of a hedge on the south side of the road. [3] It was identified in the 18th century by the antiquarian John Horsley. [4] The location was confirmed in a trial excavation in 1948. [4] There are no remains visible above ground. [3]
Turret 78B (grid reference NY24076226 ) has never been accurately located. [5] Tradition records a mound or tumulus close to its calculated position, and it is claimed that an upright stone (possibly a Medieval cross) once stood there. [5] There are no visible remains of a turret, mound, or stone. [5]
Milecastle 49 was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 79 was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 77 was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 76 (Drumburgh) was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 73 (Dykesfield) was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 72 was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 71 (Wormanby) was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 42 (Cawfields) is a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 40 (Winshields) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 54 (Randylands) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 55 was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 56 (Walton) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 57 (Cambeckhill) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 59 was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 62 was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 63 was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 64 (Drawdykes) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 65 (Tarraby) was a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall.
Milecastle 50TW was a milecastle on the Turf Wall section of Hadrian's Wall. The milecastle is located close to the Birdoswald Roman Fort and is unique in that it was not replaced by a stone milecastle when the turf wall was upgraded to stone, the replacement wall instead running some 200m to the north. The milecastle was partially demolished by the Romans after it was abandoned. The milecastle was excavated in 1934 and several Roman rubbish pits discovered. The remains of the two turrets associated with this milecastle have also been located. As the turf wall lies some distance from the stone wall, the sites are not accessible from the Hadrian's Wall Path.
Milecastle 70 (Braelees) was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.
Forts and structures of Hadrian's Wall | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wall Forts (East to West) |   | |
| Outpost Forts | ||
| Stanegate Forts |
| |
| Supply Forts | ||
| Cumbrian Coast Forts (North to South) |
| |
| Milecastles | ||
| Milefortlets | ||
| Other structures on Hadrian's Wall | ||
| Regular and linear features | ||