Milecastle 52 (Bankshead) is a Hadrian's Wall milecastle situated on a high point west of Birdoswald (MC49) in Cumbria, between Turrets 52A and 52B. Built in the 120s AD as part of the original Wall scheme and occupied into the later 4th century with interruptions, it was a long-axis milecastle constructed in stone, garrisoning perhaps 20–30 auxiliary soldiers who controlled traffic through a north gate in the curtain wall.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
As one of the larger milecastles on the western sector of the Wall, Bankshead occupied a commanding position overlooking the upper Irthing valley, contributing to the chain of small fortlets that policed movement and provided observation between the larger forts of Birdoswald and Castlesteads. An altar to Cocidius recovered from the site indicates the presence of the localised soldier-cult of this northern British deity, characteristic of the western Wall garrisons.
The milecastle has not been comprehensively excavated in modern times; antiquarian investigation in the 19th century recorded its long-axis plan, stone walls and internal buildings, and recovered inscribed altars including dedications to Cocidius and a centurial stone. Its remains are largely buried beneath later field boundaries and a farmstead, and detail beyond the basic plan and epigraphy is limited.
Milecastle 52 (Bankshead) is a Hadrian's Wall milecastle situated on a high point west of Birdoswald (MC49) in Cumbria, between Turrets 52A and 52B. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fortlet site from the Roman period in Britain.
Milecastle 52 (Bankshead) is classified as a Roman fortlet — 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 Pike Hill Signal Tower (0.3 km), Turret 51B (Lea Hill) (0.5 km), Turret 52A (Banks East) (0.5 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
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