| Summary : The site of a Roman temporary camp at Seatsides, surviving as an earthwork. This camp is situated at about 220 m above OD in improved pasture on a gently sloping shelf in the hillside on the S side of the Brackies Burn, 350 m S of the Vallum and 1.6 km W of Vindolanda. Beyond the N side of the camp, and especially in the NE, the ground drops away steeply to the burn. To the S of the camp the ground rises abruptly towards the summit occupied by Seatsides 1, the NE angle of which is only about 80 m away. Shallow former watercourses cross the hillside, all of which has been under ridge-and-furrow cultivation. To the W of the bank and ditch of the hedge line that almost bisects the camp, the earthworks are less well preserved. The camp faces E. It measures 232 m from W to E by up to 149 m transversely and encloses an area of 3.4 ha (8.5 acres). Though abraded throughout its length, the rampart is generally well preserved, except along the W side where it stands no more than about 0.2 m high; elsewhere it averages 0.5 m in height above the bottom of its external ditch, which is 0.3 m deep. The internal scarp of the rampart is only 0.2 m high. Later drainage, both natural and artificial, has utilised the the ditch of the camp, broadening it to a width of about 7 m on the W and cutting across the causeways of the gates on the E, W and S. The N gate is marked only by a gap in the rampart but a traverse survives at each of the other three gates. The W traverse is now barely discernable beneath ridge-and-furrow but those on the S and E each have a bank standing 0.4 m and 0.2 m high respectively. The ditch associated with the E traverse is 0.2 m deep. Within the SE quadrant of the interior there is a small flat-topped mound, 6 m in diameter and 0.3 m in maximum height. Although cut tangentially by a modern drain it is unlikely to be earlier than the narrow ridge-and-furrow cultivation that overlies this half of the camp (CUCAP ATV 65). |
More information : [NY 75256647] ROMAN CAMP [G.S] (1)
Roman temporary camp, four gates, and with good traverses on the east, south and west, but very doubtful on the north. Conditions fair to good, except for the N. half of the W. side which is poor.
Surveyed at 1/2500. (2)
Generally as described, but in poor condition. There are no visible remains of a traverse on the north side. (3)
The remains are greatly reduced and the camp is not easily distinguishable under pasture. A site only. (4)
This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
This camp is situated at about 220 m above OD in improved pasture on a gently sloping shelf in the hillside on the S side of the Brackies Burn, 350 m S of the Vallum and 1.6 km W of Vindolanda. Beyond the N side of the camp, and especially in the NE, the ground drops away steeply to the burn. To the S of the camp the ground rises abruptly towards the summit occupied by Seatsides 1, the NE angle of which is only about 80 m away. Shallow former watercourses cross the hillside, all of which has been under ridge-and-furrow cultivation. To the W of the bank and ditch of the hedge line that almost bisects the camp, the earthworks are less well preserved. The camp faces E. It measures 232 m from W to E by up to 149 m transversely and encloses an area of 3.4 ha (8.5 acres). Though abraded throughout its length, the rampart is generally well preserved, except along the W side where it stands no more than about 0.2 m high; elsewhere it averages 0.5 m in height above the bottom of its external ditch, which is 0.3 m deep. The internal scarp of the rampart is only 0.2 m high. Later drainage, both natural and artificial, has utilised the the ditch of the camp, broadening it to a width of about 7 m on the W and cutting across the causeways of the gates on the E, W and S. The N gate is marked only by a gap in the rampart but a traverse survives at each of the other three gates. The W traverse is now barely discernable beneath ridge-and-furrow but those on the S and E each have a bank standing 0.4 m and 0.2 m high respectively. The ditch associated with the E traverse is 0.2 m deep. Within the SE quadrant of the interior there is a small flat-topped mound, 6 m in diameter and 0.3 m in maximum height. Although cut tangentially by a modern drain it is unlikely to be earlier than the narrow ridge-and-furrow cultivation that overlies this half of the camp (CUCAP ATV 65 (5a)). Outside the SE angle is a circular depression of unknown date and purpose. It measures 9 m in diameter and 0.4 m in maximum depth and has been levelled into the slope. There is no bank or any other trace of the material from its interior; a dip in the NE may be the remains of an entrance. Outside the N rampart and close to the crest of the slope above the Brackies Burn there is a boundary bank which is overlain by ridge-and-furrow. Aerial photographs (CUCAP ATV 59, 67 (see auth 5a)) show it continuing for some distance to the W. Full information is available in the NMR Archive. (5)
Additional reference. (6)
Published reference. (7)
This camp is visible as slight earthworks on air photographs and was mapped as part of the Hadrian's Wall National Mapping Project. As stated above, the ditches of the camp have been re-utilised for drains, this is particularly noticeable on the south side of the fort where the eastern half of the fort ditch, from NY 75374 66412 to NY 75252 66389, has clearly been re-cut (9). The appearance of the ditch is sharp and straight and a line of upcast can just be seen on its south side. Additional banks at the south-east corner of the fort, including one example which overlies the rampart bank and ditch, at NY 75380 66420, are also probably to do with drainage.
The boundary bank mentioned by authority 5 which lies beyond the north rampart and is centred at NY 75169 66576 appears to align with another bank boundary to the east, centred at NY 75308 66571, which is also cut by narrow ridge and furrow (NY 76 NE 437). These banks are recorded separately in NY 76 NE 435. The circular depression, also recorded by authority 5, is visible on the photographs (9); its function is uncertain. (8-10)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (11)
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