Verteris was a Roman auxiliary fort at Brough-under-Stainmore in Cumbria, guarding the western approach to the Stainmore Pass — the principal Roman road (the modern A66 corridor) linking the legionary fortress at York with Carlisle and the western Pennines. Established under the Flavians in the early 70s AD during Cerialis's or Agricola's campaigns, it remained in use, with periods of reduction and reoccupation, into the 4th century, when it is listed in the Notitia Dignitatum as a garrison post under the Dux Britanniarum.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
The fort's role was almost entirely strategic: it controlled the high, exposed Stainmore route across the Pennine watershed, working in concert with the smaller forts and signal stations at Maiden Castle, Rey Cross, Bowes (Lavatrae), and Kirkby Thore (Bravoniacum). Its inclusion in the Antonine Itinerary and the Notitia confirms it as a recognised mansio/garrison point on a major military artery rather than a regional administrative centre.
The Roman fort lies beneath and around the medieval Brough Castle earthworks, which substantially obscure it; limited excavation in the 20th century (notably by Jones and others) confirmed Roman defences, internal buildings, and a vicus extending to the south and east, with finds of pottery, coins and tile spanning the late 1st to 4
Verteris was a Roman auxiliary fort at Brough-under-Stainmore in Cumbria, guarding the western approach to the Stainmore Pass — the principal Roman road (the modern A66 corridor) linking the legionary fortress at York with Carlisle and the western Pennines. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.
Verteris 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 Augill lead smelting mill, later iron roasting plant, associated reservoir, leats, flue and chimney and a Roman signal station immediately E of Augill Bridge (2.6 km), Roman Signal Station, 270m south west of Punchbowl Bridge (3.9 km), Romano-British farmstead 700m east of Whingill (4.5 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
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