Hadrian's Wall: Milecastles, Turrets and the Curtain: (113 Archaeopress Roman Archaeology)

The four papers in this volume address a number of issues concerning Hadrian’s Wall. Looking in detail at the form of the curtain, milecastles and turrets as preserved in the primary archaeological record, a discussion of their character allows an assessment of their form as completed. While this is, of itself, of interest it had a considerable impact on the function these elements of the frontier, and of the frontier as a whole, were designed to fulfil at least during its initial construction and for much of the 2nd century AD. The contribution by Paul Bidwell was published in 2008 but has not been widely disseminated. Its republication here, along with the accompanying papers, should go some way to making this slim volume an authoritative statement of the evidence available to date. Whilst it will in no measure be the last word on the subjects discussed, it is based securely on the evidence and thus, should prove of value well into the future. The copyright holder (the Arbeia Society) has given consent for the re-publication of this article.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Tables   Introduction – Derek A. Welsby and Nick Hodgson Laying out the ground plans of turrets and milecastles on Hadrian’s Wall – Derek A. Welsby Introduction Turrets Milecastles Discussion Conclusion Acknowledgements Bibliography   Did Hadrian’s Wall have a wall walk? – Paul Bidwell Introduction The width of the Wall Walls blocking turret recesses The line of the later Stone Wall in relation to the stone turrets originally built as part of the Turf Wall Chamfered stones from a string course The bridges on the line of the Wall A crenellated parapet Weaponry and use of the Wall-walk as a fighting-platform Surveillance, patrols and defence The Antonine Wall Conclusions Acknowledgements Bibliography The stones from a chamfered string course on Hadrian’s Wall and their implications for the appearance of the Wall-top – Nick Hodgson Introduction The chamfered string course stones The chamfered string course and the wider question of parapet and wall-walk The wall-walk as a fighting platform or a sentry walk Acknowledgements Appendix 1: Published records of chamfered string course stones from Hadrian’s Wall Appendix 2: The Berm Obstacles Bibliography   Milecastle gate towers: present or absent? – Derek A. Welsby Introduction Discussion The presence or absence of towers over milecastle gateways Tower or no tower? Conclusion Acknowledgements Appendix 1. Inventory of milecastle gates where there is relevant data for use in this study Appendix 2. Measurements of the visible stonework in milecastle and fort gates along Hadrian’s Wall Bibliography

About the Author :
After completing a PhD on Roman military studies Derek Welsby went on to spend most of his career excavating along the Nile and in the deserts of Central and Northern Sudan. For much of that time he was an assistant keeper based in what is now the Department of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum. He has excavated on Roman sites in the UK, Turkey and Libya and has travelled extensively throughout the Empire. Nick Hodgson holds a BA degree from Oxford and PhD from Newcastle. he is formerly Principal Keeper of Archaeology, Tyne & Wear Museums (now Northeast Museums). He has excavated and published widely on Hadrian’s Wall and other Iron Age and Roman archaeological matters, including two Archaeopress Roman Archaeology volumes, 25 (2017) and 92 (2022).