Roman BritainMaiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell
Roman Site · Civilian

Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: nhle-4618
Site type
Site
Category
Civilian
Latitude
54.9020
Longitude
-2.5150
Overview

History & context

This is an upland stretch of the Maiden Way (Iter Britanniarum-era military road), the Roman road running roughly north from Kirkby Thore (Bravoniacum) on the Stainmore route up to Carvoran (Magnis) on Hadrian's Wall. The section crossing Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell, in the South Tyne uplands of Northumberland, survives as an exceptionally well-preserved agger climbing across open moorland at altitudes around 300 m, and was in use from the early 2nd century, probably from the Hadrianic period, through the later Roman occupation.

Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →

Significance

Historical significance

The road was a strategic military supply artery linking the Eden Valley garrisons with the western sector of Hadrian's Wall, and via Carvoran with the Stanegate; this fell-top section is one of the best-preserved upland stretches of Roman road in northern Britain, illustrating Roman engineering on difficult peat and heather terrain. It remained important for north–south movement through the central Pennines long after the Roman period.

Archaeology

Archaeological record

Survey (including earthwork survey by RCHME/Historic England and discussion by Margary as his Route 84) shows a clear cambered agger, typically 5–6 m wide, flanked in places by side ditches and quarry pits, with stretches of exposed stone metalling visible where peat has ero

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell?

This is an upland stretch of the Maiden Way (Iter Britanniarum-era military road), the Roman road running roughly north from Kirkby Thore (Bravoniacum) on the Stainmore route up to Carvoran (Magnis) on Hadrian's Wall. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a site site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell?

Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell is classified as a Roman site — a civilian 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.

What other Roman sites are near Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Epiakon (Epiacum) (8.1 km), The section of Stanegate Roman road from Fell End Roman temporary camp to the track to Old Shield, and the Roman cemetery adjacent to Carvoran Roman fort (9.1 km), Magnis (9.2 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.

How can I research the history of the area around Maiden Way Roman road over Hartleyburn Common and Glendue Fell?

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