[NY 7727 6813] MILECASTLE 38 [GS] (Site of) (1)

Milecastle 38 was excavated in 1935 and proved to be a 'Short-axis' with type I gates. (2)

A tombstone, inscribed ...us.. uixit annis mensibus due diebus quinque, used as a pivot stone, is in the Society of Antiquaries Museum, Newcastle. (2)(3)

Little remains of the milecastle except rubble walls outlined by 'robber trenches'. There are foundations of a small secondary structure in the south west corner. Resurveyed at 1/2500. (4)

Although the plan of the castle is accentuated by the stone-grubbing activity, the whole is meaningless in terms of original remains and is no more than a site. (5)

Additional bibliography. (6)

Scheduled. (7)

An archaeological earthwork survey revealed remains of features in addition to the milecastle, and which apparently post-dated it. The south entrance of the milecastle was still visible, although it and the west wall were significantly denuded by comparison with the east wall. Low mounds along the west wall are thought to be remains of spoil heaps left by excavators in 1935. Inside the west side of the milecastle was a later foundation which may represent a precursor to the present Hotbank Farm. Milecastle 38 has suffered measurable erosion since 1935, partly due to excavation, stone robbing and visitor erosion. (8)

The milecastle is clearly defined by robber trenches on the east, south and west sides, and by a field wall on the north. The milecastle was planned, laid out and building began in the broad wall phase of Hadrian's Wall. A point where the wall was reduced in width for the narrow wall lies to the west. The south gate was excavated in 1935 and had large stonework. It was later reduced in size and a tombstone was reused as a pivot-block in its final phase (the stone was destroyed in a fire at the Housesteads information centre in 1983). A late building was revealed in the interior of the milecastle and finds showed occupation into the fourth century AD. Two identical inscriptions in the milecastle record, "This work of the emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus (was built) by the Second Legion Augusta under Aulus Platorius Nepos, propraetorian prefect" (RIB 1637). Platorius Nepos was governor of Britain from AD 122-126. (9)

The side and south walls of the milecastle were built to Middle Gauge standard (2.60m - 2.44m). (10)

The milecastle was excavated in 1935 and found to be 61 feet east-west by 49 feet north-south, short axis with Type I gates that were later reduced to 4 feet wide. Pottery indicated an occupation of the 4th century (11b). NY 7727 6813. The milecastle measures 18m north-east by 17.4 south-west internally; the north-east wall is 2.6m wide and 1.2m high but only robber trenches exist on the south and east sides 3.6m wide and up to 1.4m deep. There is a rectangular building in the south-west corner and a causeway, 3.6m wide, lies in the east. (11a)

The earthwork remains of the milecastle are visible on air photographs and were mapped as part of the Hadrian's Wall National Mapping Project. (11c)

Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (11d)

General association with HER 6559 (Turret 38a), HER 6560 (Turret 38b). (11)