Reasons for Designation
Roman camps are rectangular or sub-rectangular enclosures which were
constructed and used by Roman soldiers either when out on campaign or as
practice camps; most campaign camps were only temporary overnight bases and
few were used for longer periods. They were bounded by a single earthen
rampart and outer ditch and in plan are always straight-sided with rounded
corners. Normally they have between one and four entrances, although as many
as eleven have been recorded. Such entrances were usually centrally placed in
the sides of the camp and were often protected by additional defensive
outworks. Roman camps are found throughout much of England, although most
known examples lie in the midlands and north. Around 140 examples have been
identified and, as one of the various types of defensive enclosure built by
the Roman Army, particularly in hostile upland and frontier areas, they
provide an important insight into Roman military strategy and organisation.
All well-preserved examples are identified as being of national importance.
Details
The Roman camp is situated on Low Stony Bank, in a defensive position on a
level tract of open moorland with higher ground towards the east. It is of
typical rectilinear shape and measures 306m by 249m with the long axis
running north to south. The slight but well defined earthen rampart is
approximately 3.5m wide and 0.7m. The numerous breaks visible in the rampart
are largely the result of later paths and sheep tracks cutting across it. A
single v-shaped ditch about 3m wide surrounds the rampart, on the east side it
reaches a maximum depth of 0.5m but is very shallow to the north and barely
visible on the west and south sides.
Three entrances on the north, east and south sides are discernible, these
include a form of gateway defences known as internal claviculae, an inward
extension of the rampart and ditch which blocks the direct line of access into
the camp. On the western side the rampart has been considerably mutilated by
modern breaks and no entrance is discernible. The interior of the camp lying
to the north of the field wall which centrally bisects the camp is much
disturbed for a distance of 30m. An old boundary wall crosses the north part
of the camp and numerous circular depressions, most being natural solution
holes, lie in the interior, two water filled ones have destroyed the bank on
the north east corner.
The camp encloses an area of 8.2ha and is of legionary size. It is
suggested that the camp may belong to the campaigns of either Cerialis or of
Agricola at the end of the 1st century AD, which effected the conquest of this
area of northern England.
The base of a somewhat subsided medieval monastic wayside cross lies
beside Mastiles Lane and approximately centrally within the Roman camp. It
includes a roughly triangular gritstone measuring some 1.5m by 1.2m sited on a
foundation of three limestone boulders. The square socket hole roughly
centrally placed has dimensions of approximately 0.3m by 0.3m and with a
maximum depth of 0.25m. The cross is one of a number along Mastiles Lane which
was originally a medieval routeway. It is associated with the nearby abbey at
Coverham and linked the abbey with some of its grange farms in the area.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
24472
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
