Milefortlet 5

Last updated

Milefortlet 5
Solway marshes at Carndurnock - geograph.org.uk - 206477.jpg
View over the Solway marshes, north of the site of Milefortlet 5
Cumbria UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Cumbria
Type Milecastle
Place in the Roman world
Province Britannia
Location
Coordinates 54°54′48″N3°17′44″W / 54.913343°N 3.29555°W / 54.913343; -3.29555
CountyCumbria
CountryEngland
Reference
UK-OSNG reference NY17045839

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.

Contents

Description

Milefortlet 5 was situated in a field just south of the hamlet of Cardurnock in the civil parish of Bowness. [1] The site lies within a disused wartime airfield, now under pasture. There is nothing to see on the ground, but aerial photographs taken in 2006 show the cropmarks of the northern end of the milefortlet. [1]

The coastline to the south is interrupted by Moricambe Bay, and the next known fort is Milefortlet 9. Milefortlets 6, 7 and 8 were once thought to have been eroded by Moricambe, but there is in fact no evidence that the sites ever existed, [2] and the system is believed to begin again with Milefortlet 9. [3]

Excavations

The milefortlet was excavated in 1943-4 prior to the construction of an airfield. [1] Three phases of construction could be traced. Phase 1 dated to the Hadrianic period. Phase 2 dated to the Antonine era, when the size of the milefortlet was reduced. [1] Phase 3 seems to date from the 4th century. [1] In Phase 3 the ramparts were retained but they were refaced on the south, west and north sides, and it seems a stone building in the fortlet was built during this period. [1]

A Roman road has been traced to the southwest of Milefortlet 5, and it was excavated in 1992–3. [4]

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. However the coastline at this point is interrupted by Moricambe Bay, and any additional towers are purely conjectural. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardurnock</span> Human settlement in England

Cardurnock is a small settlement in Cumbria, England. It is by the coast, 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Carlisle. The western extension of the Hadrian's Wall frontier defences once passed through the Cardurnock peninsula, though not the Wall itself. The sites of two small Roman fortlets, Milefortlet 4 and Milefortlet 5, have been located to the north and south of Cardurnock. It is adjacent to the Anthorn Radio Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milecastle 80</span>

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 21</span>

Milefortlet 21 (Swarthy Hill) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These defences were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as reconstructed turf ramparts (to a height of about 1 metre (3.3 ft)) and ditch, reinstated to its original profile (also around 1 metre (3.3 ft)). They are located on a low cliff on the coast, north of the village of Crosscanonby, and just inland from the coastal road. It is the only milefortlet to have been fully excavated and is open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turret (Hadrian's Wall)</span> Small watch tower on Hadrians Wall

A turret was a small watch tower, incorporated into the curtain wall of Hadrian's Wall. The turrets were normally spaced at intervals of one third of a Roman mile between Milecastles, giving two Turrets between each Milecastle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 1</span>

Milefortlet 1 (Biglands House) 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 3</span>

Milefortlet 3 (Pasture House) 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 4</span>

Milefortlet 4 (Herd Hill) 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 9</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 17</span>

Milefortlet 17 (Dubmill Point) 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 (Low Mire) 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 22</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 23</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 2</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 13</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 15</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 14</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 25</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milefortlet 11</span>

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Historic England, "Milefortlet 5 (9609)", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 26 November 2013
  2. 1 2 David Colin Arthur Shotter, (1995), The Roman frontier in Britain: Hadrian's Wall, the Antonine Wall, and Roman policy in the north. page 73. Carnegie Pub.
  3. John Collingwood Bruce, Charles Daniels (1978), Handbook to the Roman Wall, with the Cumbrian coast and outpost forts, page 34. H. Hill
  4. Historic England, "Monument No. 1009473", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 26 November 2013