HeritageGateway - Home
Site Map
Text size: A A A
You are here: Home > > > > Historic England research records Result
Historic England research recordsPrintable version | About Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Swarthy Hill Milefortlet 21

Hob Uid: 1030618
Location :
Cumbria
Allerdale
Crosscanonby
Grid Ref : NY0673340046
Summary : The buried and reconstructed remains of Swarthy Hill milefortlet 21, part of the Roman frontier defences along the Cumbrian coast. It was discovered in 1968 when aerial photographs revealed the cropmarks of the milefortlet's ditch. It was excavated in 1990-91, and measured 29.5m east/west by 27m north/south. It has gates in both seaward and landward sides. On the south side of the central road there were 3 buildings, postholes, and occupation levels. The fortlet was surrounded on all but the seaward side by a single ditch 7.5m wide. The site was of single period, and not occupied after the reign of Hadrian.
More information : Swarthy Hill; NY 0672 4003. Crop mark of "horse-shoe" ditch seen August 1968 70 yards N of measured position (which had been located to NY 0670 3999; see NY 03 NE 6). The back gate is indicated by a break in the line of the ditch; the front gate is assumed. (1)

NY 067 399. Excavations at the site of Milefortlet 21 in 1990-1991 revealed that it was single phase Hadrianic and circa 70m north of the previously supposed position (see NY 03 NE 6). On the south side of an axial east/west road built in a cutting 0.25m deep lay three contiguous earth-walled buildings circa 5m square, individually terraced into the hill-slope. Finds, mainly Black Burnished and grey wares were consistent with the dating. The site has been consolidated for public display. Plans. (2-3)

Additional reference. (4)

The consolidated remains of the Roman milefortlet 21 have been surveyed at 1:2500 scale in the course of the RCHME: Cumberland Coast Project; they are located at NY 0673 4004 and are open to the public. The turf rampart has been rebuilt to a height of 1.0m, and the ditch has been cleaned out to its original profile. The evidence for the supposed site of an earlier milefortlet some 70m to the S is minimal, based on an expectation of a position at precise measurements from other frontier works to the N and S (see NY 03 NE 6). (5)

A Roman milefortlet is visible as a cropmark and reconstructed feature on air photographs at NY 0673 4004. (7)

It was excavated in 1990-91, and measured 29.5m east/west by 27m north/south. It has gates in both seaward and landward sides. On the south side of the central road there were 3 buildings, postholes, and occupation levels. The fortlet was surrounded on all but the seaward side by a single ditch 7.5m wide. The site was of single period, and not occupied after the reign of Hadrian. (8)

Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (9)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source : Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society research series
Source details :
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 3
Source Number : 2
Source : VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION
Source details : Interim Report on Excavations of Milefortlet 21 1990 Plan (Cumbria County Council Plannig Department)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 3
Source : VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION
Source details : Excavations at Milefortlet 21 Second Interim Summary 1991 Plan (Cumbria County Council Planning Department)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 4
Source : Britannia : a journal of Romano-British and kindred studies
Source details :
Page(s) : 270-1
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 23, 1992
Source Number : 5
Source : Field Investigators Comments
Source details : Keith Blood and Colin Lofthouse/24-FEB-1993/RCHME: Cumberland Coast Project
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 6
Source : Scheduled Monument Notification
Source details : 14/02/1997
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 7
Source : Oblique aerial photograph reference number
Source details : NMR NY0640/29 (12913/7) 12-AUG-1996
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 8
Source : Hadrian's Wall 1999-2009
Source details : 'A summary of excavation and research prepared for the 13th pilgrimage of Hadrian's Wall, 8-14 August 2009'
Page(s) : 162
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 9
Source : An Archaeological Map of Hadrian's Wall, 1:25,000 scale
Source details :
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : AD 117-138
Monument End Date : 138
Monument Start Date : 117
Monument Type : Frontier Defence, Milefortlet
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Find, Cropmark

Components and Objects:
Period : Roman
Component Monument Type : Frontier Defence, Milefortlet
Object Type : GAMING BOARD, NAIL, MATTOCK, STUD, LID
Object Material : Sandstone, Iron

Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CU 132
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CU 245
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 27743
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Cumbria)
External Cross Reference Number : 837
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : NY 04 SE 22
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments : 8975
Relationship type : General association
Associated Monuments : 8978
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :
Associated Activities : Primary, MILEFORTLET 21
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1990-01-01
End Date : 1990-12-31
Associated Activities : Primary, MILEFORTLET 21
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1990-01-01
End Date : 1991-12-31
Associated Activities : Primary, RCHME: CUMBERLAND COAST PROJECT
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 1993-01-19
End Date : 1994-02-02
Associated Activities : Primary, ENGLISH HERITAGE: HADRIAN'S WALL WHS MAPPING PROJECT, NMP
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2002-01-01
End Date : 2008-12-31