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Milecastle 42, Hadrian's Wall
There are thought to have been 80 milecastles on Hadrian’s Wall, located every Roman mile (1,000 paces) along the Wall, with two turrets (observation towers) spaced every third of a mile between them. The Milecastles were rectangular forts manned by small garrisons (probably 10-30 soldiers). The milecastles significance was much more than just their role in defending the Roman frontier. The milecastles had gateways in the north and south walls, often with towers on the north gate. They controlled passage through the Wall, supporting the checking of movement and levying taxes (customs) on goods and people. The milecastles also provided a visible symbol of Roman authority and imperial control. After Hadrian’s Wall was initially built (AD 122-8), larger forts (such as Housesteads) were added to the wall, providing bigger bases for fighting units, suggesting a shift in Roman strategy. In the 1930s a numbering system was devised, with the Milecastles numbered east to west.
Milecastle 42 (Cawfields) is a milecastle on Hadrian's Wall .
Description
Milecastle 42 is situated on a steep south-facing slope, 10 metres south of Cawfield Crags, and looks over Hole Gap to the west. It is on a well-preserved section of Hadrian's Wall. It measures 17.8 metres east–west by 14.4 metres north–south internally, with walls 2.8 metres thick and 1.4 metres high.
Excavations
It was excavated in 1847–48 and again in 1936. The 1847–48 excavation uncovered part of a dedication slab indicating that the milecastle had been built by the Legio II Augusta. The 1936 excavations showed that the milecastle had a short axis, with a Type I gateway.
Associated turrets
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 42 are known as Turret 42A and Turret 42B.
Turret 42A
Turret 42A (Burn Head) (grid reference NY713666) has not been located as its remains have been destroyed by quarrying.
Turret 42B
Turret 42B (Great Chesters) (grid reference NY70846682) was located by exploratory excavation in 1912. The site is visible as a turf-covered platform 0.5 metres high.
Public access
The milecastle and the site of Turrets 42B are both accessible via the Hadrian's Wall Path. Cawfields Picnic Area car park is on the line of the Hadrian's Wall Path, between the two sites. It is signposted from the B6318 (Military Road).
Visit the page: Milecastle 42 for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.
from http://www.english-heritage.o…
CAWFIELDS ROMAN WALL - HADRIAN'S WALL
- "At Cawfields is a dramatic stretch of Hadrian's Wall on a steep slope, one of the highest standing sections of the Wall. Within its length there are turrets and an …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from https://historicengland.org.u…
Hadrian's Wall and vallum between the road to Caw Gap and the Caw Burn in wall miles 41 and 42
- ....The monument includes the section of Hadrian's Wall and vallum and their associated features between the road to Caw Gap in the east and the Caw Burn in the west. …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from http://www.english-heritage.o…
CAWFIELDS ROMAN WALL - HADRIAN'S WALL
- "At Cawfields is a dramatic stretch of Hadrian's Wall on a steep slope, one of the highest standing sections of the Wall. Within its length there are turrets and an …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Wall Mile 42 - Milecastle 42 (Cawfields), Hadrian's Wall
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from https://historicengland.org.u…
Hadrian's Wall and vallum between the road to Caw Gap and the Caw Burn in wall miles 41 and 42
- ....The monument includes the section of Hadrian's Wall and vallum and their associated features between the road to Caw Gap in the east and the Caw Burn in the west. …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
