Benwell Fort (Condercum), Bath House

This lay circa 274m south-west of the fort on the slope towards the river. A large dressing room was later added to the original scheme. In 1751-2 the second Robert Shafto of Benwell drew plans of the fort (the platform still stood at that time) and the large bath-house. The plan is reproduced in Brand, 1789, I, p607. The precise location of the bath-house has never been ascertained. The building measured c.25m x 31m. There were other extra-mural buildings in the vicinity {1}. A drain was traced through the south east corner of the fort southwards for about 60m in 1926. Walls of stone buildings were recorded there. Shafto's plan shows a large changing room and two rows of rooms forming the steam range. A regular Hadrianic plan.