Vercovicium

Vercovicium (or Housesteads Roman Fort) was an auxiliary castra on Hadrian's Wall, [J.G. Crow, "Houseteads Roman Fort", London: English Heritage (1989)] in the Roman province of Britannia. Its ruins are located at Housesteads (gbmapping|NY790688) in the civil parish of Bardon Mill in the English county of Northumberland, somewhat to the south of Broomlee Lough.

History

In the 2nd century AD, the garrison consisted of an unknown double-sized auxiliary infantry cohort and a detachment of legionaries from "Legio II Augusta". In the 3rd century, it comprised "cohors I Tungrorum", augmented by the "numerus Hnaudifridi" and the "cuneus Frisiorum". The Tungrians were still there in the 4th century, according to the Notitia Dignitatum. By 409 AD the Romans had withdrawn. [Thomas Brown (2006) "Celtic Roots", Trafford Publishing ISBN 1552125858]

The fort was built in stone around AD 124, soon after the construction of the Wall began in AD 122. Vercovicium was built overlying the original Broad Wall foundation and Turret 36b. The fort was repaired and rebuilt several times, its northern defences being particularly prone to collapse. A substantial civil settlement ("vicus") existed to the south, outside the fort, and some of the stone foundations can still be seen, including "Murder House", where two skeletons were found beneath an apparently newly-laid floor when excavated.

The fort's orientation is unorthodox, in that its long axis is arranged parallel with Hadrian's Wall (which forms its northern defensive wall), due to the lie of the land. Most other forts use the Wall as their southern boundary and therefore protrude into barbarian territory. [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18177 C.Michael Hogan "Hadrian's Wall", (2007) ed. A. Burnham, The Megalithic Portal] ] It is also unusual for Britain in that it has no running water supply and is dependent upon rainwater collection (for which purpose there is a series of large stone-lined tanks around the periphery of the defences). It is also famous for having one of the best-preserved stone latrines in Roman Britain.

A recent geophysical survey commissioned by English Heritage was carried out by TimeScape Surveys [Biggins, J. A. and Taylor, D. J. A., 2004, A Geophysical Survey of Housesteads Roman Fort, "Archaeologia Aeliana" 33 51- 60.] at the fort using magnetometry and resistivity techniques. It identified field systems to the west of the fort and an area of settlement to the south enclosed by ditches and the Vallum. A possible bathhouse has also been identified. It is considered that the planning arrangements reflect a decision by the military to zone land use around the fort.

It is likely that the site for the fort was chosen just as much for its strategic position commanding a gap in the Whin Sill ridge overlooking Knag Burn, as occupying a site on or close to a native settlement. The designation of land use shown by the enclosed settlement and the siting of field systems to the west of the fort clearly support the authors’ thesis that the areas around a fort were precisely defined both in extent and use at a very early date by the army.

The survey to the south and west of the site is surprising in that the known vicus (civilian settlement) immediately to the south of the fort is clearly shown to be contained by ditches to the east and west, and the Vallum to the south. In addition, there is little evidence of other buildings apart from alongside the west road and possibly to the south of the survey area. The large building to the east of the settlement is probably a bathhouse, although how the water supply was provided is problematical, but probably from springs on the hillside.

Present day

The site is now owned by the National Trust and is currently in the care of English Heritage. Finds from Vercovicium can be seen in the site museum, in the museum at Chesters, and in the Museum of Antiquities in Newcastle upon Tyne.

ee also

*History of Northumberland

References

Further reading

*
* Crow, J. "Housesteads", London: Batsford (1995) (second edition, Stroud: Tempus 2004)
* Rivet, A.L.F. "The Place-Names of Roman Britain", London: Batsford (1979)

External links

* [http://www.fmschmitt.com/travels/England/hadrianswall/index.html Photo Essay on Housesteads Roman Fort]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/launch_vt_housesteads.shtml VRML reconstruction]