Castra Exploratorum (Latin for "Fortress of the Scouts") was a Roman fort and associated substantial civil settlement now in the grounds of Netherby Hall, Cumbria. It was first built by Agricola during his conquest of the north in around 80 AD.
The first known garrison was Cohors I Nervanorum in about the year 125 when the forts of Hadrian's Wall were built further south. At this time it became an "outpost fort" to the north of the frontier, about half a day's march from the wall.
As shown by inscriptions, the fort became the headquarters of the frontier scouts in the reorganisation of Britain into two provinces by Septimius Severus or Caracalla c. 200. It was then garrisoned by the larger Cohors I Aelia Hispanorum c. 211. This cohort—nominally comprising 1000 men and about 300 horses—required a larger fort.
The fort baths were built around 222 AD when a temple was also rebuilt and occupation continued well into the 4th century, as with Caracalla's other four outpost forts.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
Castra Exploratorum (Latin for "Fortress of the Scouts") was a Roman fort and associated substantial civil settlement now in the grounds of Netherby Hall, Cumbria. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.
Castra Exploratorum is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Milecastle 62 (Walby East) (12.2 km), Milecastle 61 (Wallhead) (12.4 km), Milecastle 63 (Walby West) (12.5 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
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