Milefortlet 23

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Milefortlet 23
View over the Sea Brows - geograph.org.uk - 1975113.jpg
View towards the sea near the site of Milefortlet 23
Cumbria UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Cumbria
Type Milecastle
Location
Coordinates 54°43′41″N3°29′06″W / 54.72792°N 3.485135°W / 54.72792; -3.485135 Coordinates: 54°43′41″N3°29′06″W / 54.72792°N 3.485135°W / 54.72792; -3.485135
CountyCumbria
CountryEngland
Reference
UK-OSNG reference NY04453800

Milefortlet 23 (Sea Brows) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is nothing to see on the ground, but Milefortlet 23 has been located and surveyed.

Contents

Description

Milefortlet 23 is north of the town of Maryport in the same parish. [1] It is on a south-east facing slope at the edge of a steep cliff. [1] The fortlet is about 1 kilometer northeast of the Roman fort of Alauna.

Nothing can be seen on the ground but the fortlet is visible on aerial photographs as faint cropmarks. [1] A geophysical survey was carried out in 1994 which showed three sides of a surrounding ditch, the fourth, west side, having been destroyed by cliff erosion. [1] Further features within the milefortlet were detected in another geophysical survey when the area of the Roman Fort (Alauna) and vicus, incorporating the area of Milefortlet 23, was surveyed between 2000 and 2004. [1]

Associated Towers

Each milefortlet had two associated towers, similar in construction to the turrets built along Hadrian's Wall. These towers were positioned approximately one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the Milefortlet, and would probably have been manned by part of the nearest Milefortlet's garrison. The towers associated with Milefortlet 23 are known as Tower 23A (grid reference NY04203757 ) and Tower 23B (grid reference NY03953714 ). [2] [3] The locations of both towers are uncertain, and their positions have been estimated by measurement to adjoining Roman frontier works. [2] [3] The position of Tower 23B may overlap with the Alauna fort in Maryport. [3]

Related Research Articles

Alauna (Maryport) Roman fort and settlement on the site of present-day Maryport in Cumbria, England

Alauna was a castrum or fort in the Roman province of Britannia. It occupied a coastal site just north of the town of Maryport in the English county of Cumbria.

Milecastle 80

Milecastle 80 was one of a series of Milecastles or small fortlets built at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along Hadrian's Wall.

Milecastle 73

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.

Milefortlet 1

Milefortlet 1 was a milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The remains of Milefortlet 1 survive as a slight earthwork.

Milefortlet 3

Milefortlet 3 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 3 has been located on aerial photographs.

Milefortlet 4

Milefortlet 4 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 4 has been located by archaeologists.

Milefortlet 5

Milefortlet 5 (Cardurnock) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The remains of Milefortlet 5 was excavated in 1943-4 prior to its destruction in 1944.

Milefortlet 9

Milefortlet 9 (Skinburness) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 9 has been located on aerial photographs.

Milefortlet 12 (Blitterlees) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 12 has been located and excavated. The milefortlet is located close to the hamlet of Blitterlees, in the civil parish of Holme Low.

Milefortlet 16 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 16 has been located.

Milefortlet 17

Milefortlet 17 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see except a slight depression in the ground, but Milefortlet 17 has been located and surveyed.

Milefortlet 20 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground, but Milefortlet 20 has been located and excavated.

Milefortlet 22

Milefortlet 22 (Brownrigg) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground, but Milefortlet 22 has been located and excavated.

Milefortlet 2

Milefortlet 2 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The exact location of Milefortlet 2 is unknown, although one of the nearby turrets has been located and excavated.

Milefortlet 13

Milefortlet 13 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The exact location of Milefortlet 13 is unknown, although two of the nearby turrets have been located and excavated.

Milefortlet 15

Milefortlet 15 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The site of Milefortlet 15 has been probably been destroyed by coastal erosion. A 3rd-century Roman cemetery, associated with a nearby fort at Beckfoot, was located in the area of the milefortlet.

Milefortlet 14

Milefortlet 14 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. The site of Milefortlet 14 has never been identified and it may lie beneath the village of Beckfoot. A larger fort known as Bibra Roman Fort was located 500 metres south-west of Milefortlet 14.

Milefortlet 25

Milefortlet 25 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. Milefortlet 25 is the southernmost known of the fortlets of the Cumberland coast, but there is nothing to see on the ground, as Milefortlet 25 lies in an industrial area of Maryport.

Milefortlet 11

Milefortlet 11 was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. Milefortlet 11 has never been accurately located on the ground although other Roman remains have been found in the area.

Milecastle 70

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Historic England. "SEA BROWS MILEFORTLET 23 (9020)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 Historic England. "TOWER 23A (1023990)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Historic England. "TOWER 23B (1023997)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 November 2013.
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