Milecastle 12
Encyclopedia
Milecastle 12 was a milecastle
of the Roman
Hadrian's Wall
. Its remains lay under Town Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall
, (just opposite the farm house) with nothing visible on the surface.
a short distance West North West of Heddon-on-the-Wall. No surface traces are currently visible.
The turret was located in 1928 as 548 yards west of Milecastle 12. This location was confirmed by a partial excavation in 1930. It was found that the walls were reduced to ground level beyond the edge of the roadway, but had the same plan as Turret 12B. However, the platform (which occupied the South side of the interior of Turrets 12B and Milecastle 13#Turret 13A), was too badly robbed for any trace to remain. The mortared walls were recorded as 1.22 metres (4 ft) thick, with the doorway lying to the east.
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54.998174°N 1.797620°W
. It was excavated in 1930, and found to be almost identical in plan to Turret 12A. The platform was rectangular and occupied the south side of the interior.
(Other comments).
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54.999264°N 1.805243°W
Milecastle
A milecastle was a small fort , a rectangular fortification built during the period of the Roman Empire. They were placed at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along several major frontiers, for example Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain , hence the name.Along Hadrian's Wall, milecastles were...
of the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
. Its remains lay under Town Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall
Heddon-on-the-Wall
Heddon-on-the-Wall is a village just outside Throckley, Northumberland, England, located on Hadrian's Wall. Heddon-on-the-Wall is roughly nine miles west of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne...
, (just opposite the farm house) with nothing visible on the surface.
Construction
Milecastle 12 is of unknown axis and gateway types.Excavations and investigations
- circa 1746 - During construction of the Military Road, two inscriptions were discovered (presumed to be from the Heddon-on-the-Wall area). These attest rebuilding work by the Legio VI VictrixLegio VI VictrixLegio sexta Victrix was a Roman legion founded by Octavian in 41 BC. It was the twin legion of VI Ferrata and perhaps held veterans of that legion, and some soldiers kept to the traditions of the Caesarian legion....
. One reads "LEG·VI·V·P·F·REF·TER·ET·SAC·COS", referring to Tertullus and Sacerdos (ConsulsRoman consulA consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
for 158AD).
- 1752 - A large hoard of coins in wooden boxes is found here.
- 1820 - A small hoard of coins is found near here. These comprise coins from Emperor MaximianMaximianMaximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
(286 - 305 AD) to Emperor ArcadiusArcadiusArcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
(383 - 408 AD).
- 1926 - The north gate is recorded as having been found.
- 1928-29 - A further search is made, without success.
- 1966 - English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Field Investigation. It was noted that there were no surface indications from which the site could be established, and the area was largely covered by modern farm buildings.
- 1989 - English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Field Investigation. It was noted that there was no surface trace of the milecastle, though its exact position is unknown.
Associated turrets
Each 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 12 are known as Turret 12A and Turret 12B.Turret 12A
Turret 12A (Heddon West) is located beside (and mainly beneath) the B6318 Military RoadMilitary Road
-Australia:* Military Road, part of Route 39, Melbourne* Military Road on the North Shore of Sydney Harbour, to connect with the military installations on Middle Head* Military Road, off Wanneroo Road just north of Yanchep National Park, Western Australia...
a short distance West North West of Heddon-on-the-Wall. No surface traces are currently visible.
The turret was located in 1928 as 548 yards west of Milecastle 12. This location was confirmed by a partial excavation in 1930. It was found that the walls were reduced to ground level beyond the edge of the roadway, but had the same plan as Turret 12B. However, the platform (which occupied the South side of the interior of Turrets 12B and Milecastle 13#Turret 13A), was too badly robbed for any trace to remain. The mortared walls were recorded as 1.22 metres (4 ft) thick, with the doorway lying to the east.
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54.998174°N 1.797620°W
Turret 12B
Turret 12B (North Lodge) is located beside the Military Road (at a point where the B6318 is diverted away from it, but it still exists as a narrow metaled track). It was located in 1928, 543 yards from Turret 12a and 529 yards from Milecastle 13Milecastle 13
Milecastle 13 was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist as a low platform south of the B6318 Military Road.- Construction :...
. It was excavated in 1930, and found to be almost identical in plan to Turret 12A. The platform was rectangular and occupied the south side of the interior.
(Other comments).
Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 54.999264°N 1.805243°W
Monument Records
| Monument | Monument Number | National Monuments Record NMR NMR may refer to:Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance:* Nuclear magnetic resonance* NMR spectroscopy* Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance* Protein nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy* Proton NMR* Carbon-13 NMR... Number |
| Milecastle 12 | 22775 | NZ 16 NW 3 |
| Turret 12A | 22778 | NZ 16 NW 4 |
| Turret 12B | 22781 | NZ 16 NW 5 |