Hadrian's Wall - Milecastle 59 - Old Wall

Hadrian's Wall Milecastle

Milecastle 59 (Old Wall) was a – Milecastle on Hadrian’s Wall. The mile fort was in a pasture 450 yards east of Old Wall, halfway to Chapel Field, Irthington Parish. The village is north of Carlisle Airport. The remains of the mile fort are only visible on aerial photographs. Its construction type is unknown. The fortification was reportedly discovered in 1894 by a man named Hodgson. During excavations, the stone foundations made of rubble stones bonded with lime mortar and Roman-British pottery came to light. A geophysical investigation carried out in 1981 showed that only remnants of the south wall were left, the side walls had completely disappeared due to agricultural activity and stone robbery. About 150 meters south of the fortification, a building inscription of the Cohors IV Lingonum was found on the wall .

To the west of the fort, a milestone from the time of Diocletian was discoveredin the foundations of the wall in 1813(305-306). A consecration altar, also found near the Mile Fort, was dedicated to the god Mars Cocidius and donated by a centurion of the Cohors I Batavorum , the first Batavian cohort .

Sites near Hadrian's Wall - Milecastle 59 - Old Wall