Roman BritainMilecastle 62 (Walby East)
Roman Fortlet · Military

Milecastle 62 (Walby East)

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: 967060389
Site type
Fortlet
Category
Military
Latitude
54.9360
Longitude
-2.8708
Overview

History & context

Milecastle 62 was a small fortlet on Hadrian's Wall, situated in the relatively flat agricultural land east of Carlisle between Turret 61b and Turret 62a, roughly 1 Roman mile west of Milecastle 61 (Wallhead). Like the other milecastles, it was constructed in the 120s AD under Hadrian and would have housed a small garrison detachment (probably 8–32 men) controlling movement through a gateway in the Wall; it remained in use, with periods of refurbishment, into the late Roman period.

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

Significance

Historical significance

Its role was to police a north–south crossing point on the line of the Wall and to provide a base for patrolling the curtain and intervening turrets, forming part of the systematic frontier surveillance regime in the Stanwix–Carlisle sector. It is not individually distinguished among the milecastles, but its position on the Cumbrian plain between the major fort at Stanwix (Uxelodunum) and the river crossings made it part of a particularly heavily manned frontier zone.

Archaeology

Archaeological record

Very little survives above ground at Walby East, as the Wall in this sector has been heavily robbed and ploughed; the milecastle is known principally from the regularity of the Wall's measured spacing and from limited antiquarian observation, with no major modern excavation published. Its precise plan (long-axis or short-axis, and gate type) has not been securely established.

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Milecastle 62 (Walby East)?

Milecastle 62 was a small fortlet on Hadrian's Wall, situated in the relatively flat agricultural land east of Carlisle between Turret 61b and Turret 62a, roughly 1 Roman mile west of Milecastle 61 (Wallhead). It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fortlet site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Milecastle 62 (Walby East)?

Milecastle 62 (Walby East) 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.

What other Roman sites are near Milecastle 62 (Walby East)?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Milecastle 61 (Wallhead) (1.3 km), Moss Side 1 and 2 Roman temporary camps (1.4 km), Milecastle 63 (Walby West) (1.4 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 Milecastle 62 (Walby East)?

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