Aerial view of Chew Green Roman camps. Photo © Tim Gates.

(NT 7880 0843) Ad Fines Camps (GS). (1)

The Roman camps at Chew Green were surveyed and their main characteristics proved by excavation in 1936 by I A Richmond and G S Keeney. (2)

Visible on aerial photograph. (3)

The Roman name of the place is not known, the name Ad Fines being a forgery. The name Chew Green comes from a farm nearby which was established by the 18th century but which has now disappeared. The farm gives its name to the camps in all the early descriptions. Four Roman works are visible and a fifth is buried from view. They are situated on a narrow plateau 1450ft above sea level. The five works comprise two temporary camps, one semi-permanent camp and two permanent fortlets.
(Centred NT 7885 0845) THE SOUTH MARCHING CAMP (I on plan) appears to be the earliest work on the site. The north side measures 895ft and the west side 917ft. The other two sides are partly destroyed or hidden by later work. The camp, which would hold a legion, is bounded by a ditch 8'3" wide and 3'9" deep a little channel 7ins deep at the base. The rampart within the ditch is 10ft wide and constructed from the upcast of the ditch with other material in addition. The north gate (port principalis sinistra) and the west gate (porta decumana) are clearly visible. On both of these gates the heel of the internal 'clavicula' was found. The gates on the south and east sides have been obliterated.
(Centred NT 7868 0868). THE NORTH MARCHING CAMP (III on plan) which measures 982ft x 625ft has its whole circuit traceable, although the central portion of the west side has sunk deep in a bog. This camp cuts through and post-dates the South Marching Camp (I). Avoiding as it does the central plateau, the site is not a good one. The ditch of the North Camp is V-shaped, 7ft 6ins wide and 3ft 0ins deep. The upcast forms a rampart 8ft 6ins thick and 2ft high. The radius of angles varies from 12ft to 37ft. There have been six gates of which five can still be seen. All gates have had traverses except that on the south side. This probably explained by the fact that this side would be protected by the proximity of the semi-permanent camp (IV).
(Centred NT 7880 0840). THE SEMI-PERMANENT CAMP (IV on plan) occupies the crown of the spur and measures 567ft x 496ft. The setting-out is not rectangular, nor are the sides set out in one straight line. The radius of the angles varies from 30ft to 50ft. The ditch of this camp is 10ft wide and 4ft 4in deep. The upcast has been used to form a rampart 12ft wide, 3ft 3in high and also as a low mound on the 'glacis'. There are four gateways each with internal 'clavicula' and a causeway undisturbed soil interrupting the ditch. The west and north gates also have external traverses. Within the enclosed area are traces of streets connecting the gates. Behind the west rampart, and parallel to it, a road 18ft wide was also discovered. Also within the area are numerous rectangular and round pits. The rectangular pits were probably for officer's shelters and as such indicate a stay of some duration but not permanent residence. On the north west side the defences have been strengthened by two rounded platforms at the back of the rampart, probably 'ballistaria'.
(Centred NT 7894 0852). THE PERMANENT FORTLET (V on plan) occupies the crown of the spur just west of Dere Street and is about 215ft square. There are three ditches except on the south side where they merge to become one. The outer ditch is 14'6" wide and 3'8" deep, the middle ditch 10'6" wide and 3'10" deep, and the inner ditch 9'9" wide and 3'4" deep. There is a sharp mound outside the outer ditch except to the west where it adjoins the semi-permanent camp. Behind the inner ditch and separated from it by an 8ft berm is a rampart 18ft wide. There is a single entrance on the east side giving access from Dere Street. Excavations in the interior revealed a single occupation layer with burnt wood, wattle and daub rubble, suggesting that the buildings had been half-timbered structures on rubble sills. The pottery found indicated a single Antonine occupation lasting well into the 2nd century. To the south of the fortlet are two outer enclosures which probably served as camping grounds or waggon parks for traffic on Dere Street. The inner enclosure attached to the south side of the fortlet has a single rampart of turf 11ft wide and two ditches, the inner 15ft wide and the outer a little larger. On the east front there is a third ditch. The second, outer, enclosure to the south has a turf rampart 9'6" wide and a V-shaped ditch 17'0" wide and 5'7" deep. Both these enclosures are independent of each other and of the fortlet. They each have a single entrance to the east opposite Dere Street.
(Centred NT 7894 0852). THE EARLIER PERMANENT FORTLET (II on plan). The triple ditched permanent fortlet (V) covers the demolished remains of an earlier fortlet, placed at a different angle. It measured approximately 170ft x 130ft and had a single V-shaped ditch 8'8" wide and 5'6" deep. The rampart, now demolished, must have been large as its material has been used not only to fill the ditch but also to form a large part of the core of the rampart of the later fortlet (V). It can be assumed that there was a central entrance on the east side. On the site was found a typical Flavian sherd of hard grey ware with orange inner surface, indicative of the earlier occupation of Dere Street, initiated by Agricola.
The sequence in which these works were built can be established. The Flavian sherd within the earlier fortlet (II) shows it to be one of the earliest structures on the site, while its position connects it with the South Marching Camp (I) which is the earliest of the temporary works. It is natural to assume (although there is no direct evidence) that the temporary camp came first and the Permanent Fortlet (II) second.
The South Marching Camp (I) is followed by the North Marching Camp (III) whose occupants built semi-permanent camp (IV) as a labour camp to house a small force engaged for some time on structural work. The labour camp although built before the later permanent fortlet (V) was probably still in use when the latter was occupied. The North Marching Camp, Labour Camp, and later Permanent fortlet therefore belong to the same sequence and represent the secondary occupation of the site.
Thus in both the Flavian and Antonine period, the site is occupied by temporary and permanent works complementary to each other. There is no evidence of and 3rd or 4th century occupation. (3)

The 1st century occupation of Chew Green comprised a temporary camp (I on plan in authority 2) and a permanent road post (II). The secondary occupation in the 2nd century consisted of a temporary camp (III), a semi-permanent labour camp (IV) and a second permanent fortlet (V). There is little doubt that the labour camp was associated with the building of the second permanent fortlet and associated road works a few yards away. (4)

SOUTH MARCHING CAMP. Description by authority 2 correct. The site is near level to the north east but on the south and west sides the ground falls away slightly.
NORTH MARCHING CAMP. Description by authority 2 correct. The camp is situated on a saddle, near level to the north east but falling away on the south west side. There has been some mutilation on the north west and south west sides by the construction of drainage ditches. Although five of the six gateways can be identified only three traverses are now visible.
SEMI-PERMANENT LABOUR CAMP. Description by authority 2 correct except that there are no surface traces of the 'low mound on the glacis'. Similarly there are no visible indication of the clavicula of the north east gate. Nine of the pits referred to by the authority 4 were identified. Three have had a rectangular oval form the others being circular. The former vary in size from 3m x 2m to 6m x 4m with a maximum depth of 0.7m. The circular pits vary from 2m to 5m in diameter with a maximum depth of 0.8m. This camp is situated on the west side of the summit of the spur, the interior sloping away gently to the south west.
PERMANENT FORTLET. This feature is rectangular and not square as stated by authority 2.
The inner rampart on the south east side is entirely destroyed but from the other sides and the remains of the outer defences to the south east it can be deduced that the fortlet's dimensions were approx 68m x 55m (taken from the centre of the inner rampart). Elsewhere the description by authy 2 is correct except that the only surface trace of the 'sharp mound outside the outer ditch' is a very slight counterscarp bank at the west corner. The inner of the two wagon parks adjoining the south east side of the fortlet has been mutilated by a medieval garth. There are no surface indications of the turf rampart described by authority 2. The fortlet is situated on the highest point of the spur and commands a good view in all directions.
THE EARLIER PERMANENT FORTLET. There are no surface indications of this work. (5)

(Subsequently published) Roman Camps and Roman Fortlet (GS). (6)

The work is in generally good condition, and the description by the previous authority F1 confirmed. Revised at 6 inch scale. (7)

As described in the report of 9/5/57. Published survey (1:10,000) correct. (8)

It has been suggested that the substantial defences and internal features of (IV) are probably more consistent with a permanent fort than a semi-permanent labour camp. If the original fortlet (II) is of Agricolan date, Chew Green (IV) might represent a late Flavian fort, in turn succeeded by an Antonine fortlet (V). (9)

During the revision of military sites on the Roman Britain Map the designation of Chew Green should be changed. There are three camps not two as well as the fortlet. (10)

Surveyed by RCHME (Newcastle). (11)

Scheduled. (12)

This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
NT 70 NE 3 now assigned parent status to individual child monuments NT 70 NE 27-31 (Camp I); (Fortlet II); (Camp III); (Fort IV) and (Fortlet V).
The earthworks at Chew Green lie on the bank of the River Coquet between two of its tributaries: the Chew Sike on the E, flanked by steep slopes, and the gentler descent to the March Sike on the W. Around a low knoll, at 422 m above OD, there is a habitable area of at least 15 ha (37 acres), the largest stretch of comparatively level ground beside Dere Street before it climbs to the ridge which marks the border with Scotland, at Brownhart Law. The earthworks comprise 2 camps (sites I and III after Richmond and Keeney (see auth 2)), a semi-permanent fort (IV), a fortlet (V), and the agger of the Roman road, as well as later remains. The Roman earthworks are as complex as they are remarkable and the sequence is not wholly clear, despite the excavations of 1936 (Richmond and Keeney 1937 (see auth 2)).
The description and interpretation of individual sites cannot be separated from that of the other elements of this complex landscape, of which one of the most intractable puzzles is the relative chronology of its components. It is immediately evident that the eartworks are more than one period, but little dating evidence was recovered by excavation. Samain and coarse wares spanning much of the 2nd century were present, and there was one piece of cooking-pot, said to be of Flavian type. None of the sherds was stratified except those of Dragendorff 33 and the unpublished rim of a mortarium (Richmond and Keeney 1937, 142 (see auth 2); Richmond Notebook 19, Ashmolean Museum (13b)); both of these were in a layer associated with burnt timber and apparently sealed by wattle and daub within the interior of the fortlet (V). Given by the medieval occupation of the site, which was not commented upon by the excavators, even these sherds may have been ex situ.
The form of the earthworks provides few clues. The relatively square plan of camp I seems to be an early characteristic and here this is demonstrated stratigraphically. The similarity of the first phase of the fort (IV) to site A at Cawthorn, North Yorkshire, suggests that it was built no later than the early second century. At the other end of the likely sequence, the closest parallel to the triple ditches of the fortlet (V) is probably the final period at Cappuck in Roxburgh, built sometime after about AD 160 and perhaps as late as the 3rd century (Richmond 1951 (13c); RCAHMS 1956, 381-3 no 803 (13d); Hartley 1972, 40 (13e); Daniels 1978, 306 (13fe)); Cappuck is the next post to the N along Dere Street, and provided the link between Chew Green and Newstead in Tweeddale.
The chronological relationships between the fortlet (V) and the other landscape components cannot be resolved without further excavation. Topographically, however, the putative earlier fortlet (II), which may or may not be later than camp I, is likely to be earlier than the fort (IV). Between the fort and camp III the timescale must have been sufficient to allow for the initial occupation of IV, when it was defended by claviculae, and then its disuse. The orientation of the NW traverse mound of the fort suggests that camp III was constructed next in the sequence and was followed by the reoccupation of IV, its gates modified by the removal of the claviculae which was replaced by traverses. This overturns the sequence proposed after the excavations in 1936 (Richmond and Keeney 1937 (see auth 2)). However, none of this is dated, and the suggestion that the fort (IV) ay have had a role during the construction of Dere Street must remain a possibility; the stimulus for the reuse of the site, which may well have happened more than once on so important a road, is unknown. Fortlet V may have been constructed before or after this apparent reuse of the fort.
Uncertainty also surrounds the relationship between the Chew Green site and the undated small fortlet, apparently a watch-post or signal station, on the E shoulder of Brownhart Law (RCAHMS 1956, 378-9 no.798 (see auth 13d)). Visibility between the two sites is blocked by a ridge about 130 m to the S of this fortlet on the watershed, but a tower only 12 m high, or two of 6 m would have made them intervisible. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (13)

Additional bibliography. (14)

The Chew Green monuments are a Scheduled Monument protected by law.