Milecastle 3 (Ouseburn) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. No remains exist, but it was thought to have been located at the junction of the A187 Byker Bridge and Stephen Street.
| Milecastle 3 | |
|---|---|
| Tyne and Wear, England, UK | |
 Milecastle 3 probably overlooked the Ouseburn ravine | |
  Milecastle 3 Location in Tyne and Wear | |
| Coordinates | 54°58′33″N 1°35′20″W / 54.975901°N 1.589009°W |
| Grid reference | NZ26406466 |
Construction
editNo evidence exists as to the configuration or type of Milecastle 3, though the curtain wall at this stage was almost certainly a narrow configuration.[1]
Excavations and investigations
edit- 1789 - Brand visited the site, but noted that many of the stones had been removed from the foundations some years previously, for use in the building of an adjoining house.[4]
- 1848 - Collingwood Briuce reported that a small, partly illegible altar had been found close to the presumed site of the milecastle. The altar (NMR Number: NZ 26 SE 227) was dedicated by Julius Maximus. Having searched the area, he could find no trace of Roman remains.[1]
- 1858 - Henry MacLauchlan surveyed the area but reported no dependable trace of the milecastle.[5]
- 1928 - FG Simpson measured the distance from Milecastle 2 to Milecastle 3 as 1,450 yards (1,330 m).[5]
- 1979 - Exploratory trenches were sunk during the building of the Metro, revealing no trace of the milecastle.[5]
Associated turrets
editEach 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 3 are known as Turret 3A and Turret 3B.
Turret 3A
editNothing is known of Turret 3A and it was presumed to be located around 54°58′30″N 1°35′46″W / 54.974892°N 1.596128°W.[6] In September 2022 Pre-Construct Archaeology announced that they had located the turret at approximately 54°58′28″N 1°35′44.5″W / 54.97444°N 1.595694°W, during surveys in advance of construction of student accommodation. Excavations found the walls of the turret in addition to a ditch and six obstacle pits. Turret 3A became the most easterly known turret on the wall. The turret was recorded as having a length of around 12 metres (39 ft) and foundations of 2.36–2.46 metres (7 ft 9 in – 8 ft 1 in) in width. The interior of the turret is thought to have been truncated by late 19th or early 20th century construction work. A Roman tegula tile was recovered, suggesting that the turret may have had a tiled roof.[7]
Turret 3B
editNothing is known of Turret 3B.[8]
Presumed location: 54°58′20″N 1°36′09″W / 54.972217°N 1.602403°W
Monument records
edit| Monument | Monument Number | English Heritage Archive Number |
|---|---|---|
| Milecastle 3 | 24904 | NZ 26 SE 15 |
| Turret 3A | 24907 | NZ 26 SE 16 |
| Turret 3B | 24912 | NZ 26 SE 17 |
References
edit- ^ a b Breeze, David J (1934), Handbook to the Roman Wall (14th Revised edition - Nov 2006), Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, ISBN 0-901082-65-1
- ^ Horsley, John (1732), Britannia Romana or the Roman Antiquities of Britain, Frank Graham (published 1974), ISBN 0-85983-090-X
- ^ Stukeley, William (1776). Itinerarium Curiosum: or, An account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great Britain (2nd ed.). London: Baker & Leigh. ISBN 0-576-19312-7.
- ^ Brand, John (1 January 1789). The History and Antiquities of Newcastle upon Tyne. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). B White & Son. p. 138.
- ^ a b c "Milecastle 3". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Turret 3A". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Archaeologists uncover remains of Roman turret at Hadrian's Wall". HeritageDaily. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ "Turret 3B". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.