| Summary : Walltown Crags is a section of Hadrian's Wall situated one mile north east of Greenhead following the steep and dramatic crags of the Whin Sill. The section includes the extant remains of Turret 45a, Milecastle 45, Turret 44b, and Milecastle 44 (see associated monument records). The building of a ditch north of the Wall was unnecessary along Walltown crags, except in the gaps that break up the crags. Much of the section provides commanding views in all directions over the surrounding countryside. A number of inscribed stones, were found fallen on the south side of the wall in 1960. Surveying the wall from west to east; it survives to a height of 2.2 metres in a consolidated 410 metre stretch along the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall that includes Turret 45a. Turret 45a was originally built as a free standing tower and then later incorporated into the wall line. Beyond this a stretch of wall survives mostly as a low stoney rubble and turf covered mound averaging 5 metres wide and 1 metre high. Milecastle 45 also survives as a turf covered feature. Further east, beyond Walltown farmhouse, Turret 44b survives as an exposed stone feature up to 1.9 metres high. A coin from the reign of Valens was found on the site in 1892. Milecastle 44 is situated 200 metres north east of Allolee farmhouse, near the crest of an east facing slope, and measures 20 metres north-south by 17 metres across. The walls survive as turf covered banks 3.5 metres wide and just under a metre high. The gradient drops east of the Milecastle towards Turret 43b where the Wall ditch is preserved to a depth of 2.2 metres. |
More information : Consolidated and under Guardianship, maximum height is 2.2m. (1)
Walltown Crags is a section of Hadrian's Wall situated one mile north east of Greenhead following the steep and dramatic crags of the Whin Sill. The section includes the extant remains of Turret 45a, Milecastle 45, Turret 44b, and Milecastle 44. The building of a ditch north of the Wall was unnecessary along Walltown crags, except in the gaps that break up the crags. Much of the section provides commanding views in all directions over the surrounding countryside. A number of inscribed stones, were found fallen on the south side of the wall in 1960. Surveying the wall from west to east; it survives to a height of 2.2 metres in a consolidated 410 metre stretch along the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall that includes Turret 45a. Turret 45a was originally built as a free standing tower and then later incorporated into the wall line. Beyond this a stretch of wall survives mostly as a low stoney rubble and turf covered mound averaging 5 metres wide and 1 metre high. Milecastle 45 also survives as a turf covered feature. Further east, beyond Walltown farmhouse, Turret 44b survives as an exposed stone feature up to 1.9 metres high. A coin from the reign of Valens was found on the site in 1892. Milecastle 44 is situated 200 metres north east of Allolee farmhouse, near the crest of an east facing slope, and measures 20 metres north-south by 17 metres across. The walls survive as turf covered banks 3.5 metres wide and just under a metre high. The gradient drops east of the Milecastle towards Turret 43b where the Wall ditch is preserved to a depth of 2.2 metres. Scheduled. (2)
Listed Building (3)
This section of reconstructed Wall is visible on air photographs. The Wall extends from NY 6740 6634 to NY 6714 6617, east of turret 45A (NY 66 NE 7, UID 13842).
(4)
The section of Wall at Walltown Crags is marked on the English Heritage 1:25,000 map of Hadrian's Wall published in 2010. (5)
Basic directions for visitors: the site is situated 1 mile north-east of Greenhead, off the B6318. (6) |