User:Sam.roebuck/Milecastle 11

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Milecastle 11
Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Throckley bank Top Club - the presumed site of the milecastle
Milecastle 11 is located in Tyne and Wear
Milecastle 11
Milecastle 11
Location in Tyne and Wear
Coordinates54°59′46″N 1°46′02″W / 54.996142°N 1.767306°W / 54.996142; -1.767306
Grid referenceNZ14986686


Milecastle 11 (Throckley Bank Top) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. No remains exist, but the measured position is the middle of the old village of Throckley Bank Top, under the Working Men's Club.[1]

Construction[edit]

Nothing is known of the construction of Milecastle 11. The curtain wall at this point is known to have been 2.59 metres (8.5 ft) thick with a clay core.[2]

Excavations and investigations[edit]

  • 1858 - Maclauchlan surveys the area, and discovers what he assumes to be the milecastle.[3]
  • 1879 - A coin hoard of over 5000 silvered coins (dated 244AD to 275AD) in a pot was discovered at a point slightly north of the currently assumed milecastle position (just behind the wall).[2]
  • 1928 - Maclauchlan's find is identified as an old pit heap. Trenching in the measured site of the milecastle is unsuccesful.[1]
  • 1929 - Further unsuccesful investigation.[1]
  • 1959 - Further unsuccesful trenches by Miss Phillips in the area of demolished miners' cottages.[4]
  • 1990 - English Heritage's Central Excavation Unit observed a 0.5m deep cable trench cut through the site, without result.[1]
  • 2002 - A metalled surface on two levels was discovered slightly north of the presumed milecastle position.[2] From a point just east of the milecastle, as far as Turret 11B, 145 pits were discovered along the berm. Some retained the impression of two upright stakes.[2]

Associated Turrets[edit]

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 11 are known as Turret 11A and Turret 11B.

Turret 11A[edit]

Investigation in 1928 failed to find Turret 11A (Heddon Hall).[5]

Presumed location: 54°59′48″N 1°46′27″W / 54.996605°N 1.774228°W / 54.996605; -1.774228 (Turret 11A)

Turret 11B[edit]

Turret 11B (Great Hill) was located just to the east of the summit of Great Hill. No masonry remains, but the location was confirmed in 1919 by the discovery of pottery and occupation earth.[6]

Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54°59′47″N 1°46′56″W / 54.996404°N 1.782154°W / 54.996404; -1.782154 (Turret 11B)

Monument Records[edit]

Monument Monument Number National Monuments Record Number
Milecastle 11 22684 NZ 16 NE 11
Turret 11A 22769 NZ 16 NW 1
Turret 11B 22772 NZ 16 NW 2

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Milecastle X". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 03 Jun 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ 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, p. 165, ISBN 0901082651
  3. ^ Maclauchlan, Henry (1858), Memoir Written During A Survey Of The Roman Wall: Through The Counties Of Northumberland And Cumberland, In The Years 1852-1854, Kessinger Publishing Co, p. 16, ISBN 1437058035
  4. ^ Taylor, MV (1960). "Roman Britain in 1959". Journal of Roman Studies. 50. Society for Promotion of Roman Studies: 214.
  5. ^ "Turret 11A". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 03 Jun 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Turret 11B". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved XX May 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

Bibliography[edit]