Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Burrow Walls Roman Fort
Hob Uid: 9041
Location : Cumbria Allerdale Workington
Grid Ref : NY0036030040
Summary : The site of a Roman fort, probably MAGIS at Burrow Walls. Only slight earthwork remains consisting of traces of spread ditch are visible on the south east side and at the east corner. Excavation revealed it to be a typical 2nd century AD fort with evidence for a possible smaller fort within the original banks. However, only 4th century AD pottery was found. Part of the fort circuit and inner ditch are also visible as earthworks on air photographs mapped as part of the North West Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey. Remnants of the monument appear to be still extant on the latest 1976 Ordnance Survey vertical photography.
More information : Centred NY 0036 3004] Burrow Walls [GT] on site of Roman Fort [GS] (1) Gabrosentum. (2) Excavations in 1955 showed Burrow Walls to be a typical 2nd cent. Roman fort, double ditched with inner bank, and a later ditch inside the latter giving evidence for a smaller fort within the original banks. There are no extant remains on the ground, but the fort is partly visible on air photos. With the exception of two earlier fragments, all pottery found was of late 4th cent. date a high proportion being from the inner ditch. See AO/LP/62/102. Within the fort are two medieval wall fragments (incorporating Roman stones.) 40 ft & 15 ft. at rt. angles to each other (a). (3-4) MAGIS. Probably the Roman fort at Burrow Walls, to which the name GABROSENTUM (now ascribed to Moresby fort - NX 92 SE 4) was formerly applied. (5) Much of the W side of the fort lies beneath a railway embankment; the remainder is in permanent pasture on a gentle NW- facing slope. Apart from slight traces of a spread ditch along the SE side and at the E corner, nothing survives of the fort above ground. (6) Part of the fort circuit and inner ditch are also visible as earthworks on air photographs mapped as part of the North West Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey. Remnants of the monument appear to be still extant on the latest 1976 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (7-8)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : 6" Prov 1957
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Ordnance Survey map of Roman Britain 3rd edn 1956
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : (RL Bellhouse)
Page(s) : 30-45
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Vol(s) : 55, 1956

Source Number : 3a
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Source details : B Blake
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : (CUC X 32-22.7.47 DL) (28-7.7.49)
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Source Number : 5
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Source details :
Page(s) : 406-7
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Keith Blood and Colin Lofthouse/02-MAR-93/RCHME:Cumberland Coast Project
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : RAF 106G/UK/1209 4001 07-MAR-1946
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : RAF 58/B/42 5267 19-MAY-1948
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date :
Monument End Date : 200
Monument Start Date : 101
Monument Type : Fort
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 410
Monument Start Date : 301
Monument Type : Fort
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CU 292
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Cumbria)
External Cross Reference Number : 841
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : NY 03 SW 3
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Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1955-01-01
End Date : 1955-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 1993-01-19
End Date : 1994-02-02

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2007-11-26
End Date : 2009-05-22

Associated Activities :
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 2016-01-01
End Date : 2016-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Burrow Walls Roman Fort