Benwell Fort (Condercum), Vallum crossing and gateway
Benwell Fort (Condercum), Vallum crossing and gateway
HER Number
5264
District
Newcastle
Site Name
Benwell Fort (Condercum), Vallum crossing and gateway
Place
Benwell
Map Sheet
NZ26SW
Class
Transport
Site Type: Broad
Causeway
Site Type: Specific
Causeway
General Period
ROMAN
Specific Period
Roman 43 to 410
Form of Evidence
Structure
Description
The causeway across the vallum was located in 1932, excavated in 1933 by the North of England Committee and its examination and preservation completed in 1938. It was preserved and left on display. It had vertical sides of dressed ashlar and was spanned by an arched gateway with double doors to bar wheeled traffic coming from the south. The vallum was infilled during the Severan restoration of the Wall and buildings were erected over it (see HER 5262) but the gateway was maintained in working order throughout the remainder of the Roman period. Six periods of road are known. The first is Hadrianic, together with the gate. Pivot stones were discovered in this layer and the fifth layer only. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the doors were removed under Lollius Urbicus, later to be refurbished in the fifth period to fortify what remained of the stone-built vicus built on the vallum. The obliteration of the vallum had at first made such gates obsolete. SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT
Easting
421550
Northing
564630
Grid Reference
NZ421550564630
Sources
<< HER 5264 >> C. Bruce, 1966, Handbook to the Roman Wall, 12th edition, p49-51
E. Birley, 1961, Research on Hadrian's Wall, p 164-5
P. Salway, 1967, The Frontier People of Roman Britain, p 71-2
D.J. Breeze & B. Dobson 1987, Hadrian's Wall, p 195
S. Johnson, 1989, Hadrian's Wall, p 58
Tyne and Wear Museums, 1991, The Roman Fort at Benwell and Its Environs, A survey of the extent and presentation of the archaeological remains
Excavation report, 1934, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4 ser 11, 1934, p176
P. Salway, 1967, The Frontier People of Roman Britain, p 73-5
D.J. Breeze, 1982, The Northern Frontiers of Roman Britain, p 195
Tyne and Wear Museums, 1991, The Roman Fort at Benwell and Its Environs, A survey of the extent and presentation of the archaeological remains
Archaeologia Aeliana, 1934, Excavations at Benwell (Condercum), 2nd interim report (1927 and 1928), 4, XI, pp. 176; David J. Breeze, 2006, J. Collingwood Bruce's Handbook to the Roman Wall, 14th edition, pp 154-155
E. Birley, 1961, Research on Hadrian's Wall, p 164-5
P. Salway, 1967, The Frontier People of Roman Britain, p 71-2
D.J. Breeze & B. Dobson 1987, Hadrian's Wall, p 195
S. Johnson, 1989, Hadrian's Wall, p 58
Tyne and Wear Museums, 1991, The Roman Fort at Benwell and Its Environs, A survey of the extent and presentation of the archaeological remains
Excavation report, 1934, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4 ser 11, 1934, p176
P. Salway, 1967, The Frontier People of Roman Britain, p 73-5
D.J. Breeze, 1982, The Northern Frontiers of Roman Britain, p 195
Tyne and Wear Museums, 1991, The Roman Fort at Benwell and Its Environs, A survey of the extent and presentation of the archaeological remains
Archaeologia Aeliana, 1934, Excavations at Benwell (Condercum), 2nd interim report (1927 and 1928), 4, XI, pp. 176; David J. Breeze, 2006, J. Collingwood Bruce's Handbook to the Roman Wall, 14th edition, pp 154-155