Robin Hood's Butts Signal Station

Signal Station

This signal station on the Maiden Way Roman road was excavated by Francis Haverfield who recognised and reported its Roman origins in 1901. It stands on Gillalees Beacon within line-of-sight of the Hadrianic Wall fort at Birdoswald, which lies about 4 miles (6.5 km) to SSE, and the signal station on Barron’s Pike, about 2¼ miles (3.75 km) to NNE, both stations being associated with – and probably garrisoned from – the so-called “Northern Outpost” fort at Bewcastle, which lay out of sight about 2 miles (3.2 km) to NNW of the Butts.

The excavations conducted by Haverfield exposed the foundations of a stone-built tower, about 20 ft. (c.6 m) square at its base, with walls about 3¼ ft. (1 m) thick, still surviving to a height of about 5¾ ft. (1.75 m). Only a slight trace of the surrounding ditch system was recorded.

References for Robin Hood’s Butts Signal Station

A ‘New’ Signal Station in Cumbria by P. Topping in Britannia xviii (1987) pp.298-300.

Map References for Robin Hood’s Butts Signal Station

NGRef: NY579717 OSMap: LR86

Roman Roads near Robin Hood’s Butts Signal Station

Maiden Way: NNW (2) to Bewcastle (Bewcastle, Cumbria) Maiden Way: SSE (4) to Birdoswald (Birdoswald, Cumbria)

Sites near Robin Hood's Butts Signal Station