Great Chesters Aqueduct (Greenhead; Melkridge)
Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters. Photo © Northumberland County Council.
[NY 704668 - NY 740688] Roman Aqueduct [G.S.] (Course of) [T.I] [Five Times.] (1)
Natural hindrances necessitated the construction of a very circuitous leet, almost six miles long to supply water for the Roman fort of Aesica. The leet started at Saughy Rigg Washpool [NY 741688] on the Caw Burn, and crossed the dry valley at Benks Bridge [NY 707685] where a raised work in timber or masonry must have existed. The last half mile of the course north of the fort, is unknown. (2)
The remains are visible for most of the course as a shallow dry leet following the contours. See Map Diagram for course and comments. (3)
This feature was field-walked in 1971 by members of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, and their findings agreed with those of AO field investigation in 1966. They point out, however, that from a consideration of the levels, it is doubtful if the aqueduct terminated inside the fort; possibly it emptied into the north ditch. (4)
Scheduled Monument Consent granted to British Telecom 13th December 1989, in respect of works to install a 90mm PVC duct and associated joint boxes with a depth of cover between 350mm in grass and 600mm in carriageway in order to replace a section of buried cable. (5)
SAM management agreement. (6)
1986 SMC granted for a drainage scheme extending either side of the aqueduct for c.500m. Scheme not carried out in the end. Excavation carried out at NY 71796876: revealed a channel 560mm wide and 280mm deep cut into the natural boulder clay subsoil. It was straight sided and flat bottomed, with no lining. (7)
Plan and Account by RCHME 13-Aug-1990. (8)
A 6 mile aqueduct with surviving stretches. In places the earthwork is so slight it is difficult to see. This makes is fragile and susceptible to farming damage. The westernmost stretch (near NY 70766734) appears to have been damaged by recent cultivation of grassland. (9)
The Great Chesters from was supplied by a 9.65km long leat fed from a Haltwhistle/Caw Burn source. The leat is thought to have fed an extra-mural distribution tank and thence the bath-house and the fort. There is no dating evidence for when the leat, and therefore associated structures, was first constructed. (10)
Intermittently visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. (11)
Scheduled. (12)
A full resurvey of the Great Chesters Aqueduct was undertaken in the winter of 1987-1988. For detailed description see account deposited in the NAR Archive Collection, UID 621954. (13a)
A summary of the findings of the survey occurs in Britannia, 21, 1990 , 285-90 (13b)
The course of the aqueduct was mapped at a scale of 1:10000 from aerial photographs as part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site Mapping Project. As commented in (13a) the western extremity of the aqueduct as it approaches Great Chesters fort cannot be traced on the ground, but can be traced as a soilmark on aerial photographs between NY 7083 6739 and NY 7049 6718. A possible continuation, less certain, may be visible as a soilmark further west between NY 7044 6712 and NY 7037 6697. (13c-d)
At NY 725 684 the aqueduct cuts through fields of prehistoric cord rig (NY 76 NW 266). (13e)
Recent photography by T.Gates provide good illustrations of the aqueduct. (13f-n)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (13o)
General association with HER 6468 (Great Chesters Roman Fort). (13)
Natural hindrances necessitated the construction of a very circuitous leet, almost six miles long to supply water for the Roman fort of Aesica. The leet started at Saughy Rigg Washpool [NY 741688] on the Caw Burn, and crossed the dry valley at Benks Bridge [NY 707685] where a raised work in timber or masonry must have existed. The last half mile of the course north of the fort, is unknown. (2)
The remains are visible for most of the course as a shallow dry leet following the contours. See Map Diagram for course and comments. (3)
This feature was field-walked in 1971 by members of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, and their findings agreed with those of AO field investigation in 1966. They point out, however, that from a consideration of the levels, it is doubtful if the aqueduct terminated inside the fort; possibly it emptied into the north ditch. (4)
Scheduled Monument Consent granted to British Telecom 13th December 1989, in respect of works to install a 90mm PVC duct and associated joint boxes with a depth of cover between 350mm in grass and 600mm in carriageway in order to replace a section of buried cable. (5)
SAM management agreement. (6)
1986 SMC granted for a drainage scheme extending either side of the aqueduct for c.500m. Scheme not carried out in the end. Excavation carried out at NY 71796876: revealed a channel 560mm wide and 280mm deep cut into the natural boulder clay subsoil. It was straight sided and flat bottomed, with no lining. (7)
Plan and Account by RCHME 13-Aug-1990. (8)
A 6 mile aqueduct with surviving stretches. In places the earthwork is so slight it is difficult to see. This makes is fragile and susceptible to farming damage. The westernmost stretch (near NY 70766734) appears to have been damaged by recent cultivation of grassland. (9)
The Great Chesters from was supplied by a 9.65km long leat fed from a Haltwhistle/Caw Burn source. The leat is thought to have fed an extra-mural distribution tank and thence the bath-house and the fort. There is no dating evidence for when the leat, and therefore associated structures, was first constructed. (10)
Intermittently visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. (11)
Scheduled. (12)
A full resurvey of the Great Chesters Aqueduct was undertaken in the winter of 1987-1988. For detailed description see account deposited in the NAR Archive Collection, UID 621954. (13a)
A summary of the findings of the survey occurs in Britannia, 21, 1990 , 285-90 (13b)
The course of the aqueduct was mapped at a scale of 1:10000 from aerial photographs as part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site Mapping Project. As commented in (13a) the western extremity of the aqueduct as it approaches Great Chesters fort cannot be traced on the ground, but can be traced as a soilmark on aerial photographs between NY 7083 6739 and NY 7049 6718. A possible continuation, less certain, may be visible as a soilmark further west between NY 7044 6712 and NY 7037 6697. (13c-d)
At NY 725 684 the aqueduct cuts through fields of prehistoric cord rig (NY 76 NW 266). (13e)
Recent photography by T.Gates provide good illustrations of the aqueduct. (13f-n)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (13o)
General association with HER 6468 (Great Chesters Roman Fort). (13)
N6480
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1966; R W Emsley
EXCAVATION, see 11617 1985; AUSTEN, P S
EXCAVATION, Edges Green: Great Chesters aqueduct 1986; Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead 1999; T GATES
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead. An air photographic survey 2004; T Gates
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: Hadrian's Wall WHS Mapping Project, NMP 2008; English Heritage
MEASURED SURVEY, RCHME: Great Chesters Roman Aqueduct Survey ; RCHME
EXCAVATION, see 11617 1985; AUSTEN, P S
EXCAVATION, Edges Green: Great Chesters aqueduct 1986; Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead 1999; T GATES
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, Hadrian's Wall Landscape from Chesters to Greenhead. An air photographic survey 2004; T Gates
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: Hadrian's Wall WHS Mapping Project, NMP 2008; English Heritage
MEASURED SURVEY, RCHME: Great Chesters Roman Aqueduct Survey ; RCHME
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.