|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
title page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
previous page
next page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
start of The Wall |
|
|
|
|
|
Page 217:-
|
roman inscriptions
roman altars
|
|
|
and other roman stones with an altar now at Cousin's house,
which must have belonged to this station, or to this end of
the wall
|
The Wall, line of
|
|
|
"The wall having left the station passes on to a stile in
the hedge which incloses the more westerly Well-lawe; and is
for this space (near an hundred and fifty yards) in the
second degree, the ditch only in the first. At the stile it
makes a very small turn, still keeping in the main towards
the west, though inclining a little to the south. It passes
through the outer court of Cousin's house, and on the north
side of the mansion itself; the wall at this part being only
in the first degree, though the ditch be in the second. The
wall and ditch in the same state pass close by the Beehouses
on the north side.
|
Milecastle 1
Walker
Byker hill
|
|
|
"A little west of these Beehouses has been a
castellum, the foundation and remains of which are
very visible. It is 22 yards or 66 foot square, which
appears to have been the stated measure of all these
castella. This, which is the first of them on the east side,
is about three furlongs distant from the end of the wall;
and has been, like all the rest, built on or close to the
wall; but wholly within it, or on the south side. From hence
the wall passes by Walker or Wall-kier to
Byker hill, both it and the ditch being for this
space in the second degree, and keeping all the way within
the inclosures. Walker, no doubt, has its name from
the wall, and perhaps from the word kier, which in
the present highland tongue (as I remember) signifies a
town, as caer does in the British.
|
Milecastle 2
Ewsburn
|
|
|
"Between Walker and Byker hill, upon an easy ascent, are the
visible remains of another castellum, of the common stated
dimensions. The distance between this and the last is about
an English measured mile and half a furlong, which is
somewhat more than the usual distance. From Byker hill the
wall descends towards Ewsburn, being in the first,
and the ditch mostly in the second degree. As the wall goes
down this descent, it keeps within the fence on the south
side of the highway, which seems sometimes to have been
repaired with the stones of it.
|
Milecastle 3
|
|
|
"At the head of Ewsburn [o] bank, that is the bank on the
east side of the village, is the visible foundation of
another castellum, conveniently situated for prospect
as well as the last. And the distance between these two is
exactly the same as before. There are also in this part of
the track of the wall (I mean from the end of it to Ewsburn)
some ruinous heaps, which may probably have been remains of
some of the smaller exploratory turrets, that have been
placed all the way upon the wall. But these ruins are scarce
distinct enough to be relied on.
|
Redbarns
|
|
|
"From Ewsburn to the Red-barns the wall is scarce to
be discerned; it passes through the inclosure, close by the
hedge on the south side of the highway. The stony part of
the highway itself between the mill and the Red-barns can't
have been the wall; because this is on the north of the
ditch, which is visible in one degree or more. These stones
may have been taken from the wall to repair the road. The
wall seems to have passed through the mansion house of the
Red-barns, between the court and the garden. The ditch is
visible in the first degree or second to the west of the
Red-barns, not far from the walls of Newcastle,
bearing full upon the castle there, and Pandon-gate
in the way to it. But this is the last appearance of any
part of the work on the east side of this town.
"I could no where from the end of the wall to Newcastle
discern any certain vestiges of the military way. Nor the
Red-barns, and upon the descent from Byker hill to
Ewsburn, I saw the track along which I believed it had gone;
but the appearance is so very faint and obscure, that I lay
no great stress upon my conjecture; nor should I have
observed it, had I not known before, that it must have been
thereabouts.
"As for Hadrian's vallum, I could no where in all this space
discern the least trace of it or anything belonging to it;
nor did I ever hear of any traditionary account of its
having been here.
|
Newcastle upon Tyne
|
|
|
"The distance from the station at the end of the wall to St.
Nicholas's church in Newcastle is exactly three measured
miles and five furlongs. And in this space there are three
castella, all visible; that which should have been
next in course, is lost in the station at NEWCASTLE.
|
2. PONS AELII.
|
|
|
|
Pons Aelii
Benwell Hill
Benwell
|
|
|
"No appearance of either of the walls can be expected, as
far as the buildings of this great town extend; but as soon
as they are well ended, some faint vestiges of both, or of
what has belonged to them, begin to shew themselves. For
just at the end of the houses without Westgate, and
on the south side of the street or highway, what I take to
be Hadrian's ditch is for a short space pretty visible; and
I believe the raised foot-way there has been upon the north
agger. For a little space again every thing relating
to Hadrian's vallum does quite disappear, till near the
quarry house some faint marks of the ditch, and north
agger, begin to appear, but chiefly of the latter.
And this state of the vallum extends to Benwel
fort.
|
Quarry House
|
|
|
"As to Severus's wall, little or nothing relating to it can
be discovered between the town and the quarrry house. There
seemed to me, at first sight, to be some visible remains
both of the wall and ditch, in a small field near the quarry
house, between it and the town, and on the north side of the
highway which comes from Westgate. But upon examining them
more narrowly, they appeared not so distinct as I imagined.
A quarry, which has been wrought hereabouts, and from whence
the house has its name, does very much perplex this affair.
Yet I still saw reason to believe, that the wall had passed
through this field.
|
castellum
Elswick Windmill
|
|
|
"I thought there were some visible remains of a
castellum just behind the quarry house, and the line
of the wall appeared to go through the midst of the house.
And, as I think the walls converged a very little before, so
Severus's wall has made a very small turn hereabout, in
order to come up to the north rampart of the station at
Newcastle, and to get to a sufficient distance from
Hadrian's vallum. The castellum at the quarry
house is conveniently placed for prospect, and is the only
one that is visible between Newcastle and the next station.
By the distance there should have been another, but it is
quite demolished. From the quarry house to Elswick
windmill, Severus's wall is but in the first degree; but
from hence to the fort on Benwel hill, the appearance of the
ditch is frequently very distinct, and the track of the wall
(which keeps much upon the high road) pretty certain.
"From the station at Newcastle to Benwel hill is
|
|
|
[o]
This is a rivulet so called, the true name of which is
perhaps Ouse-bourne.
|
|
|
nearly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
next page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
