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start of The Wall |
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Page 225:-
here again between the castella is seven furlongs.
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10. AESICA
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Aesica
Great Chesters
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"The fort at GREAT CHESTERS must be reckoned among the
number of those that have been well preserved. The ramparts
about it are in the third or fourth degree. Some part of the
original stone wall is standing at a good height. The ditch
is also pretty visible on all sides but towards the east,
where it is somewhat flat. And on the west side there is a
double agger and ditch. The ruins of the rampart on
this side are very high. Several regular courses of stone
are to be seen in the middle of this side-rampart, where the
ruins have been cleared out. The praetorium is very
visible being 50 yards from east to west, and 40 from north
to south. To this is joined another parallelogram at the
east end, of the same breadth with the praetorium,
and 25 yards from east to west. This I take to be the
quaestorium. On the north side of the
praetorium are large ruins of some considerable
building, which probably has been a temple. On the south
side of the fort has been a regular entry. Part of the jambs
and some other stones are remaining entire; which may shew
for what purpose such stones must have been, which are found
in other Roman forts. A stone which looks like the threshold
is lying near the gate. Some pieces of an iron gate and
hinges have been found in the ruins not long ago. From this
gate there goes a paved military way to Hadrian's
vallum, which is distant about 15 chains from this
entry; which way is also continued, till it joins the other
military way, which I have often spoke of. The out-buildings
are most considerable on the south side, though there are
also some on the east. I was told of a cross, standing in a
meadow south from this fort; but when I came to it I saw it
to be a Roman stone, and the remains of a large altar. There
are vast ruins of buildings in this field, which, as usual,
has a gentle descent, and is open to the south. It seems to
be called Great Chesters to distinguish it from the
last station, which bears the name of Little Chesters;
though it is not among the number of the largest forts, nor
much greater than Little Chesters.
"Before I take my leave of this station, I would remark the
good contrivance and usefulness of this branch of a military
way, that comes from the other principal one to this fort. I
sought for such a branch at Carrawbrugh, but could not
discover any, and it is plain that it could have been of no
servcie; for the shortest way from Walwick Chesters to
Carrawbrugh, or even to House-steeds, is by the military way
attending the wall. But if the march was to Great Chesters,
the other military way is plainer and shorter, and then the
branch which comes off from thence to this station stands in
good stead.
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Cockmount Hill
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"A lttle to the west of Great Chesters, near a house called
Cock-mount-hill, the wall begins again to ascend the
rocks. From Great Chesters to this place the ditch is but
faint, except for two or three chains, where it is distinct.
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Walltown
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"The wall running along the tops of the rocks passes
byWaltown, where there is a well and a Roman stone or
two lying by it. They have a traditionary story concerning
this well, and the first Christian king's being baptized
there; which is too long to be inserted in this place, but
may be read in Camden [d].
"A little to the west of Waltown, and between that and
Carrvoran, there is a part of the wall, which is in the
greatest perfection of any now remaining in the whole track.
It is about three yards high, has about 14 regular courses,
and at one part 16, of the facing stones entire. The reason
of its being so well preserved at this part is, that the
wall is here backed up with the earth and rocks on the south
or inner side; so that though it be three yards high on the
north or outward side, yet within it is not much above the
level of the ground. For a considerable space the wall seems
to have been faced up against the ground or rocks, and only
to have been raised so far above the inner ground as to
serve for a parapet; though even here it appears to have
been of the usual thickness. I make no doubt but this is the
place referred to in Camden [e], where we are told, that
"within two furlongs of Carrvoran, on a pretty high hill,
the wall is still standing 15 foot in height, and nine in
breadth." Both these measures are certainly too large, and
must have been taken by guess. And I am apt to think the
height has been guessed at by the number of the facing
stones that are still standing intire; which probably being
reckoned 15 in number, a foot has been allowed to each
course. Soon after this the wall reaches the end of the long
ridge of rocks, which it had followed from beside
Shewen-sheels, and passes by the station at Carrvoran.
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Low Town
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"As for Hadrian's vallum, it is visible all the way
from where we last left it, till it comes near Carrvoran. It
passes near Low-town, just to the south of it, and
particularly the vallum or rampart on the south brink
of the ditch is here very visible. I was told there were
ruins of some Roman works at Low-town; but upon viewing
them, nothing like it appeared. They look somewhat like the
houses of moss-troopers; which seems confirmed by what
Camden says, "that he durst venture no farther this way, for
fear of them [f]." He mentions Carrvoran on the one side,
and Carraw on the other; so that the two Chesters and the
House-steeds must have been the stations that he was afraid
to visit.
"The distance between Great Chesters and Carrvoran is almost
two miles and a quarter. In this space there are three
castella, and all of them visible, the intervals in a
right line being six furlongs; but if the turns of the wall
be taken into the computation, they will then be about six
and a half.
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11. MAGNA.
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Banna
Carvoran
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"The fort at CARRVORAN is placed about 12 or 13 chains to
the south of both the walls (which are here very near to
each other) and have a peat-moss before it. This may both be
the reason of the modern name, and why the walls approach no
nearer to it. The ramparts round this fort are very
conspicuous, and also the ditch, both being in two or three
degrees. And the buildings without the fort have been on the
south and west sides, on the descent towards the river
Tippal. This (as I hinted before) is one of the forts
that is intirely within Hadrian's vallum; Little
Chesters, the fort at Cambeck water in Cumberland and
Watch-cross, are the others.
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Maiden Way
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"The military way, called Maiden way, passes through
this place, and, as is said, goes to Beaucastle,
which is about six miles from it. And the other military
way, which comes from Walwick Chesters, passes a little to
the south of this fort, or enters and terminates in the
Roman town here. It is very visible upon the moor
south-east, and not far from Carrvoran.
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[d]
P. 1054.
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[e]
P. 1070.
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[f]
Ibid.
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"From
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