- Milecastle 24
-
Coordinates: 55°01′04″N 2°03′47″W / 55.017825°N 2.063043°W
Milecastle 24
The low platform marking the remains of Milecastle 24
Milecastle 24 shown within NorthumberlandOS grid reference NY96066925 List of places: UK • England • Northumberland This article is part of the series on:
Military of ancient Rome (portal)
753 BC – AD 476Structural history Roman army (unit types and ranks, legions, auxiliaries, generals) Roman navy (fleets, admirals) Campaign history Lists of wars and battles Decorations and punishments Technological history Military engineering (castra, siege engines, arches, roads) Political history Strategy and tactics Infantry tactics Frontiers and fortifications (limes, Hadrian's Wall) Milecastle 24 (Wall Fell) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low platform,[1] and are located to the south of the B6318 Military Road around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of its junction with the A68.
Contents
Construction
Because of the similarity in its construction to that of Milecastle 23, Milecastle 24 is assumed to be a long-axis milecastle. The gateway type is unknown, though long-axis milecastles were thought to have been constructed by the Legio VI Victrix who were based in Eboracum (York).[2]
The milecastle measured 15.24 metres (50.0 ft) across, and had broad east and west walls (the curtain wall at this point was also broad gauge).[1]
A change in the vegetation in the ditch adjacent to the south gateway may suggest the prior existence of a causeway that was subsequently removed.).[1]
Excavations and investigations
- 1879 - The milecastle was visited and depicted by James Irwin Coates.[3]
- 1930 - The location and construction details of the milecastle were established.[1]
- 1966 - English Heritage Field Investigation. The position of the milecastle was confirmed. It was noted that the perimeter wall of the milecastle was extant as a 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) high turf covered bank, obscured by quarry spoil on the north east.[4]
- 1989 - English Heritage Field Investigation. Remains of robber/excavation trenches (up to 0.3 metres (0.98 ft) deep), and a large spoil heap (up to 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) high), were noted, but no real platform could be identified. The milecastle position and probable axis type were also confirmed.
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 24 are known as Turret 24A and Turret 24B.
Turret 24A
Turret 24A (Green Field) is now located beneath the B6318 Military Road, though it was excavated in February 1930. Remains of its masonry were three courses high on the north west corner, gradually reducing to one at the other corner.[5]
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 55°01′08″N 2°04′16″W / 55.018791°N 2.071083°W
Turret 24B
Turret 24B (Tithe Barn) is now located beneath the B6318 Military Road, though it was excavated in February 1930. Remains of its masonry, like those of Turret 23A, were three courses high on the north west corner, gradually reducing to one at the other corner.[6]
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 55°01′09″N 2°04′41″W / 55.019083°N 2.078152°W
Monument Records
Monument Monument Number National Monuments Record Number Milecastle 24 18186 NY 96 NE 11 Turret 24A 18189 NY 96 NE 12 Turret 24B 18189 NY 96 NE 12 Public Access
Access to the mound marking the Milecastle is via the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail.
References
- ^ a b c d Breeze, David J (1934), Handbook to the Roman Wall (14th Revised edition - Nov 2006), Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, pp. 186–187, ISBN 0901082651
- ^ David J Breeze and Brian Dobson (1976). Hadrian's Wall. Allen Lane. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0140271821.
- ^ Wilmott, Tony (2009), Hadrian's Wall: archaeological research by English Heritage 1976-2000, English Heritage, pp. 16, ISBN 1-905624-71-9
- ^ "Milecastle 24". Pastscape. English Heritage. http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=18186. Retrieved 15 Sep 2010.
- ^ "Turret 24A". Pastscape. English Heritage. http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=18189. Retrieved 16 Sep 2010.
- ^ "Turret 24B". Pastscape. English Heritage. http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=18189. Retrieved 16 Sep 2010.
Bibliography
- Daniels, Charles (1979), "Review: Fact and Theory on Hadrian's Wall", Britannia 10: 357–364, JSTOR 526069
External links
Media related to Milecastle 24 at Wikimedia Commons
Milecastles of Hadrian's Wall Milecastles 0 • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 50TW • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80Milefortlets MF 1 • MF 2 • MF 3 • MF 4 • MF 5 • MF 6 • MF 7 • MF 8 • MF 9 • MF 10 • MF 11 • MF 12 • MF 13 • MF 14 • MF 15 • MF 16 • MF 17 • MF 18 • MF 19 • MF 20 • MF 21 • MF 22 • MF 23 • MF 24 • MF 25 • MF 26Other structures on Hadrian's Wall Portgate • Chesters Bridge • Knag Burn Gateway • Peel Gap Tower • Willowford Bridge • Pike Hill Signal TowerCategories:- Milecastles of Hadrian's Wall
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.