Longshaws Roman Camp (Meldon)
'A' NZ 13508846. Square earthwork with roundish corners and part of surrounding ditch visible. Roman?
'B' NZ 13388845. Rectangular earthwork. (1)
Remains of two rectangular earthworks situated at 300 feet above sea level, upon a gentle north slope. They are both overgrown with young birch trees, bracken and brambles. 'A' Centred NZ 13488845. The north side of the earthwork lies along the top of steep slopes which fall away to the River Font. The other three sides consist of triple ramparts with two medial ditches, the inner rampart being carried round the north side. The interior measures approximately 50m east-west by 60m north-south. There are entrances midway in the east and west sides.
'B' Centred NZ 1336 8843. Consists of a single rampart with outer ditch. The internal area is approximately 45m east-west by 65m north-south. The entrances could not be located. (2)
Surveyed at 1/2500. (3)
A small Roman fort at Longshaws must be one of the best preserved of its type in the north of England. The defences comprise a rampart some 40 feet wide and 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 feet high, and two widely spaced ditches with a bank between them. Area within the inner ditch is about 250 feet square (1.4 acres), while that enclosed by the rampart is 150 feet square (0.6 acres). There is a gate in the centre of the west side with a clearly marked causeway leading from it, but it is not clear whether a gap in the east rampart marks a corresponding gate. The ditches are less well preserved and are overgrown. The fort stands at a point where the river (Font) is eroding its south bank, but the course cannot have changed much since Roman times as the outer ditch of the fort bends away as if to run to the river scarp.
Barely 100 feet south-west of the fort, in an area of tangled thickets is a further slight earthwork consisting of a rampart 10-12 feet wide, and a ditch. The whole is some 200 feet north-south by 185 feet at a rough estimate. Angles are rounded in curves of small radius, and both rampart and ditch are interrupted for a gate in the centre of the north side. What little of the earthwork is visible together with the evidence of aerial photographs scarcely leaves doubt that remains of a Roman camp are in question. (4)
Both works are clearly of Roman origin, and the plan of the larger one is consistent with that of a fortlet except for the question of 'gates'. Gaps noted by St Joseph are in fact no more than a lowering of the track, and the former appears originally to have been uninterrupted.
Survey of 4/11/64 unchanged. (5)
Frere writes that this is now though to be a native site and it should be deleted from the map of Roman Britain. (6)
The validity of this site as a fortlet was undermined by the excavations at the similar sites of Apperley Dene (NZ 05 NE 5) and at Hartburn, Jobey threw specific doubt on the identification of Longshaws as a Roman military site. (7)
The sites are the remains of two Roman fortlets. (8)
A topographical carried out by the RCHME during April 1984 confirms the eastern enclosure to be indeed a Roman military fortlet. The fortlet is located in Broad Wood - a long established woodland which has been replanted since the survey. Since the survey the trees have matured and only the centre of the fortlet is now free of the woodland canopy. The survey confirmed that the larger eastern earthwork is a fine example of a Roman fortlet.
This was provided with a particularly complex system of defences. There are two ramparts and two ditches, with a counterscarp bank, of 40m thickness in the defences. The inner ditch is flanked on each side by a level berm. The area enclosed by the inner rampart is almost square, measuring 47m north to south and 45m east to west. There are no internal features remaining which are thought contemporary with the defences: a drainage ditch and rabbit burrows are evident in the south-west corner. The principal gate is located in the centre of the western side and seems to possess inturned rampart ends. The western defences are the best preserved, whilst on the eastern side the defences have been damaged by a track, the extraction of trees and further drainage ditches. Minor landscapes have eroded a little of the northern defences.
The simpler, more westerly, enclosure is the remains of a simpler rectilinear earthwo. Former ploughing, drainage ditches and the presence of trees and scrub are all noted in this area. The earthworks clearly consist of a single rampart, which stands 0.70m high and 55m roughly north to south and 48m east to west. The internal area is about 0.26ha. The ridge and furrow of the area extends over part of this enclosure. The function of the second simpler enclosure is unknown. It may be a temporary camp, a second fortlet or an annexe to the other fortlet. It is possible that this connected with the fortlet as a detached annexe, akin to other mid-1st to early 2nd century fortlets in northern England and central to southern Scotland.
A suggested connection with the Devil's Causeway Roman road and its attendant works (in the temporary camps and fort) suggest that these earthworks might be 1st century AD in date. (9)
At NZ 1350 8847, on the edge of a river cliff above the River Font, is a Roman fortlet, one of two (see also NZ 18 NW ) surveyed at 1:1000 scale by RCHME Newcastle in 1984 as a part of the Longshaws
Survey.
NRHE UID 23277 (Fort A) The fortlet is strongly defended by two ramparts and two ditches, with a substantial counterscarp bank surviving in places beyond the outer ditch. The area enclosed by the inner rampart, 1.8m high and 10-12m wide, measures 47m N-S by 45m E-W; the inner ditch is 0.6m deep. The outer defence comprises a rampart, up to 0.9m high, a ditch, 1.2m deep, and an intermittent outer counterscarp bank up to 0.7m high; this outer line incorporates the river cliff to the NE of the fortlet. There are opposing entrances medial to the E and W sides. (10a)
NRHE UID 923092 (Fort B) At NZ 1337 8845, about 20 metres to the W of the Roman fortlet (NZ 18 NW 3) are the remains of what may have been another, more lightly defended example. Former ploughing, including ridge and furrow, field drains and the presence of conifers and scrub hinder interpretation, but the site clearly comprises a single rampart, 0.7m high internally and 1.3m above the base of an outer ditch, 0.6m deep, which encloses an area 55m NNE-SSW by 48m transversely. There is one identifiable entrance central to the N side. This earthwork displays no characteristics which are undeniably Roman, yet its shape and size and its proximity to the fortlet 20 metres to the E, are all circumstantial evidence that the two are associated. The work seems too massive for a Roman camp, and a second fortlet is the most likely explanation. (10a)
NZ 1338 8845. Rectangular earthwork (10b)
'B' NZ 13388845. Rectangular earthwork. (1)
Remains of two rectangular earthworks situated at 300 feet above sea level, upon a gentle north slope. They are both overgrown with young birch trees, bracken and brambles. 'A' Centred NZ 13488845. The north side of the earthwork lies along the top of steep slopes which fall away to the River Font. The other three sides consist of triple ramparts with two medial ditches, the inner rampart being carried round the north side. The interior measures approximately 50m east-west by 60m north-south. There are entrances midway in the east and west sides.
'B' Centred NZ 1336 8843. Consists of a single rampart with outer ditch. The internal area is approximately 45m east-west by 65m north-south. The entrances could not be located. (2)
Surveyed at 1/2500. (3)
A small Roman fort at Longshaws must be one of the best preserved of its type in the north of England. The defences comprise a rampart some 40 feet wide and 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 feet high, and two widely spaced ditches with a bank between them. Area within the inner ditch is about 250 feet square (1.4 acres), while that enclosed by the rampart is 150 feet square (0.6 acres). There is a gate in the centre of the west side with a clearly marked causeway leading from it, but it is not clear whether a gap in the east rampart marks a corresponding gate. The ditches are less well preserved and are overgrown. The fort stands at a point where the river (Font) is eroding its south bank, but the course cannot have changed much since Roman times as the outer ditch of the fort bends away as if to run to the river scarp.
Barely 100 feet south-west of the fort, in an area of tangled thickets is a further slight earthwork consisting of a rampart 10-12 feet wide, and a ditch. The whole is some 200 feet north-south by 185 feet at a rough estimate. Angles are rounded in curves of small radius, and both rampart and ditch are interrupted for a gate in the centre of the north side. What little of the earthwork is visible together with the evidence of aerial photographs scarcely leaves doubt that remains of a Roman camp are in question. (4)
Both works are clearly of Roman origin, and the plan of the larger one is consistent with that of a fortlet except for the question of 'gates'. Gaps noted by St Joseph are in fact no more than a lowering of the track, and the former appears originally to have been uninterrupted.
Survey of 4/11/64 unchanged. (5)
Frere writes that this is now though to be a native site and it should be deleted from the map of Roman Britain. (6)
The validity of this site as a fortlet was undermined by the excavations at the similar sites of Apperley Dene (NZ 05 NE 5) and at Hartburn, Jobey threw specific doubt on the identification of Longshaws as a Roman military site. (7)
The sites are the remains of two Roman fortlets. (8)
A topographical carried out by the RCHME during April 1984 confirms the eastern enclosure to be indeed a Roman military fortlet. The fortlet is located in Broad Wood - a long established woodland which has been replanted since the survey. Since the survey the trees have matured and only the centre of the fortlet is now free of the woodland canopy. The survey confirmed that the larger eastern earthwork is a fine example of a Roman fortlet.
This was provided with a particularly complex system of defences. There are two ramparts and two ditches, with a counterscarp bank, of 40m thickness in the defences. The inner ditch is flanked on each side by a level berm. The area enclosed by the inner rampart is almost square, measuring 47m north to south and 45m east to west. There are no internal features remaining which are thought contemporary with the defences: a drainage ditch and rabbit burrows are evident in the south-west corner. The principal gate is located in the centre of the western side and seems to possess inturned rampart ends. The western defences are the best preserved, whilst on the eastern side the defences have been damaged by a track, the extraction of trees and further drainage ditches. Minor landscapes have eroded a little of the northern defences.
The simpler, more westerly, enclosure is the remains of a simpler rectilinear earthwo. Former ploughing, drainage ditches and the presence of trees and scrub are all noted in this area. The earthworks clearly consist of a single rampart, which stands 0.70m high and 55m roughly north to south and 48m east to west. The internal area is about 0.26ha. The ridge and furrow of the area extends over part of this enclosure. The function of the second simpler enclosure is unknown. It may be a temporary camp, a second fortlet or an annexe to the other fortlet. It is possible that this connected with the fortlet as a detached annexe, akin to other mid-1st to early 2nd century fortlets in northern England and central to southern Scotland.
A suggested connection with the Devil's Causeway Roman road and its attendant works (in the temporary camps and fort) suggest that these earthworks might be 1st century AD in date. (9)
At NZ 1350 8847, on the edge of a river cliff above the River Font, is a Roman fortlet, one of two (see also NZ 18 NW ) surveyed at 1:1000 scale by RCHME Newcastle in 1984 as a part of the Longshaws
Survey.
NRHE UID 23277 (Fort A) The fortlet is strongly defended by two ramparts and two ditches, with a substantial counterscarp bank surviving in places beyond the outer ditch. The area enclosed by the inner rampart, 1.8m high and 10-12m wide, measures 47m N-S by 45m E-W; the inner ditch is 0.6m deep. The outer defence comprises a rampart, up to 0.9m high, a ditch, 1.2m deep, and an intermittent outer counterscarp bank up to 0.7m high; this outer line incorporates the river cliff to the NE of the fortlet. There are opposing entrances medial to the E and W sides. (10a)
NRHE UID 923092 (Fort B) At NZ 1337 8845, about 20 metres to the W of the Roman fortlet (NZ 18 NW 3) are the remains of what may have been another, more lightly defended example. Former ploughing, including ridge and furrow, field drains and the presence of conifers and scrub hinder interpretation, but the site clearly comprises a single rampart, 0.7m high internally and 1.3m above the base of an outer ditch, 0.6m deep, which encloses an area 55m NNE-SSW by 48m transversely. There is one identifiable entrance central to the N side. This earthwork displays no characteristics which are undeniably Roman, yet its shape and size and its proximity to the fortlet 20 metres to the E, are all circumstantial evidence that the two are associated. The work seems too massive for a Roman camp, and a second fortlet is the most likely explanation. (10a)
NZ 1338 8845. Rectangular earthwork (10b)
N11036
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; A S Phillips
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1964; R W Emsley
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; B H Pritchard
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, The Roman fortlet at Longshaws, Northumberland 1984; RCHME
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1964; R W Emsley
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; B H Pritchard
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, The Roman fortlet at Longshaws, Northumberland 1984; RCHME
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