Burgh-by-Sands Fort - The Stanegate Fort

Stanegate Fort

Situated ¾-mile (1.22 km) WSW of the Wall fort and settlement at Burgh-by-Sands, at Hill Farm, Longborough, a large, two-phase fort was first seen on aerial photographs in 1977 and confirmed by excavations conducted by G.D.B. Jones in 1984. Pottery recovered from the site during these investigations indicated an occupation sometime during the first half of the second century AD. The site has been occupied by two successive forts which very likely indicates a change in the type or size of garrison unit:

  • Fort IIIa the first fort on the site was the smallest, delineated by a single ditch system measuring 603 NE-SW by 370 feet transversely (184 x 113 m) and occupying an area of 5.13 acres (2.07 ha).
  • Fort IIIb after an unknown (but probably short) period the fort was enlarged by extending the defenses to the SW, the new fort measuring (290 x 113 m) with an occupation area of 8.4 acres (3.35 ha).

The fort is seemingly aligned with a Roman road which runs along the humpback ridge of Fingland Rigg to the auxiliary fort at Kirkbride. This road passes directly in front of the fort, and probably represents a westward extension of the Stanegate frontier system sometime during the Trajanic period; the fort, by association, may also belong to this system.

Map References for Burgh-by-Sands Fort III – The Stanegate Fort

 

OS National Grid Reference: NY 3170 5866

Dimensions: 603 x 370 feet (184 x 113 m)

Area: 5.13 acres (2.07 ha)

Roman Roads near Burgh-by-Sands Fort III – The Stanegate Fort

Wall: ESE (5.25) to Uxelodvnvm (Stanwix, Cumbria) Stanegate: E (6) to (Carlisle, Cumbria) Wall: W (3.5) to Concavata (Drumburgh, Cumbria) [link_post post_id="9634" type="link"]Stanegate: W (6) to Kirkbride (Cumbria) Roman Military Way: SE (2.5) to Grinsdale

Sites near Burgh-by-Sands Fort - The Stanegate Fort