Topics > Historical Periods > Roman Period (43 to 409 AD) > Roman Temporary Camp

Roman Temporary Camp


Roman temporary camps (castra aestiva) were standardised, fortified enclosures constructed by Roman legions. They were built to provide defensible overnight camps for legions on the move during campaigns (marching camps), during sieges (siege camps), or training (practice camps). Over 40 temporary camps have been identified in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall, many believed to have been camps used by troops involved in construction of the Wall, and some possibly created as practice camps during military training.

The design of temporary camps were highly standardised; They were rectangular with rounded corners ("playing-card shape"), surrounded by a V-shaped ditch (fossa), a rampart made from the excavated earth (agger), often with a wooden palisade. The camps usually had four gates. The central area, with the commander's tent (praetorium) acted as a focal point, with 'streets' laid out in a grid system for orderly layout of tent by units.

These temporary camps could be built rapidly, often 3–6 hours, depending on the terrain. The entire legion worked on their construction, lead by engineering specialists .

Roman Period (43 to 409 AD) Walwick Fell Roman temporary camp Brown Dikes Roman temporary camp Chesters Pike Roman temporary camp Coesike East Roman temporary camp Coesike West Roman temporary camps Haltwhistle Burn 1 temporary camp, fortlet, and section of Stanegate Haltwhistle Burn Roman temporary camps 2 and 3 and area of cord rig cultivation Grindon School Roman Camp Brown Moor Roman temporary camp Fell End Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate Seatsides 1 Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate Springhill Camp Seatsides 2 Roman temporary camp Bean Burn 1 Roman temporary camp Bean Burn 2 Roman temporary camp Sunny Rigg 1 Roman temporary camp Sunny Rigg 2 Roman temporary camp Sunny Rigg 3 Roman temporary camp Chapel Rigg Roman temporary camp Crooks Roman temporary camp Knockcross Roman temporary camp
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Brown Dikes Roman temporary camp
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Brown Dikes Roman temporary camp
- Map showing Brown Dikes temporary camp to the south-west of Carraw Farm, and south of Hadrian's Wall (running in parallel to, and just north of, the B6318). The Brown Dikes …
Knockcross Roman temporary camp
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Knockcross Roman temporary camp
- Overview Map The site of the Roman temporary camp known as Knockcross is located at Grey Havens (house), about ½mile east of Bowness‑on‑Solway and 190m north of Hadrian’s Wall. Although …
Walwick Fell Roman temporary camp
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Walwick Fell Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area to the south of Black Carts Turret. The site of Walwick Fell Roman temporary camp is located about 1.5 km north-west of the village …
Grindon School Roman Camp
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Grindon School Roman Camp
- Map showing Grindon School temporary camp, to the south-east of Milecastle 35 on Hadrian's Wall, and north-west of Grindon Farm. There was a Roman temporary camp at Grindon, just south …
Springhill Camp
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Springhill Camp
- Scheduled Monument areas - based on Historic England data (Open Government Licence). This site is located close to Spring Hill, to the south of Tweedmouth in Northumberland. It is scheduled …
Chesters Pike Roman temporary camp
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Chesters Pike Roman temporary camp
- Chesters Pike temporary camp is located to the north-east of Chesters Roman Fort (Aecia), and about 5 km north-east of Greenhead in Northumberland. The camp probably pre-dated Hadrian's Wall. The …
Coesike East Roman temporary camp
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Coesike East Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area to the north of Grindon Farm and east of Milecastle 35 on Hadrian's Wall. Scheduled Monument (#1010937): Coesike East Roman temporary camp Click the …
Coesike West Roman temporary camps
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Coesike West Roman temporary camps
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Coesike West Roman temporary camps to the north-west of Grindon Farm. Scheduled Monument (#1010938): Coesike West Roman temporary camps 1 and 2 Click …
Haltwhistle Burn 1 temporary camp, fortlet, and section of Stanegate
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Haltwhistle Burn 1 temporary camp, fortlet, and section of Stanegate
- Scheduled Monument (#1010945): Haltwhistle Burn 1 Roman temporary camp, fortlet and section of the Stanegate Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the Historic England scheduling) Significance The …
Haltwhistle Burn Roman temporary camps 2 and 3 and area of cord rig cultivation
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Haltwhistle Burn Roman temporary camps 2 and 3 and area of cord rig cultivation
- Scheduled Monument (#1010946): Haltwhistle Burn Roman temporary camps 2 and 3 and area of cord rig cultivation Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the Historic England scheduling) …
Brown Moor Roman temporary camp
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Brown Moor Roman temporary camp
- Scheduled Monument (#1010981): Brown Moor Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the Historic England scheduling) Significance Over 40 temporary camps of many different sizes, …
Fell End Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate
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Fell End Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate
- Scheduled Monument (#1010953): Fell End Roman temporary camp and section of the Stanegate Roman road Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the Historic England scheduling) Significance The …
Seatsides 1 Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate
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Seatsides 1 Roman temporary camp and section of Stanegate
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area for the Seatsides 1 temporary camp and section of the Stanegate Roman road. Scheduled Monument (#1010940): Seatsides 1 Roman temporary camp and section of …
Seatsides 2 Roman temporary camp
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Seatsides 2 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area for Seatsides 2 Roman temporary camp. Scheduled Monument (#1010941): Seatsides 2 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the …
Bean Burn 1 Roman temporary camp
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Bean Burn 1 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Bean Burn 1 Roman temporary camp. Scheduled Monument (#1010942): Bean Burn 1 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts …
Bean Burn 2 Roman temporary camp
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Bean Burn 2 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Bean Burn 2 Roman temporary camp. Scheduled Monument (#1010943): Bean Burn 2 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts …
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Sunny Rigg 1 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Sunny Rigg 1 Roman temporary camp Scheduled Monument (#1010950): Sunny Rigg 1 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts …
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Sunny Rigg 2 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Sunny Rigg 2 Roman temporary camp Scheduled Monument (#1010951): Sunny Rigg 2 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts …
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Sunny Rigg 3 Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Sunny Rigg 3 Roman temporary camp Scheduled Monument (#1010952): Sunny Rigg 3 Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts …
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Chapel Rigg Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Chapel Rigg Roman temporary camp Scheduled Monument (#1010954): Chapel Rigg Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the …
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Crooks Roman temporary camp
- Map showing the Scheduled Monument area of Crooks Roman temporary camp Scheduled Monument (#1010955): Crooks Roman temporary camp Click the headings below to expand (selected extracts from the Historic England …

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