Milecastle 35 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milecastle 35 |
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Consolidated remains of Milecastle 35
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 Location in Northumberland
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| Type | Milecastle |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 55°01′33″N 2°18′24″W / 55.025812°N 2.306637°W |
| County | Northumberland |
| Country | England |
Milecastle 35 (Sewingshields) is a small fort, or milecastle, that was part of Hadrian's Wall. This famous wall was built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago in what is now England. Milecastles were like mini-forts placed about one Roman mile apart along the wall. They helped Roman soldiers guard the wall and control who passed through. The remains of Milecastle 35 can still be seen today, giving us a peek into Roman times.
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What is Milecastle 35?
The remains of Milecastle 35 are located on a hillside called Sewingshields Crags. You can still see its stone foundations. The milecastle was about 18.3 metres long and 15.2 metres wide inside. Its walls were very thick, up to 3.2 metres wide! A Roman road, which was a branch off the main Military Way, ran south from Milecastle 35. You can still see parts of this old road as a low mound, about 5.5 metres wide and 20 centimetres high.
How was Milecastle 35 Built?
Milecastle 35 was designed as a "long-axis milecastle." This means its longer side ran along the line of Hadrian's Wall. It also had a special type of entrance called a "Type IV gateway" on its south side. This design helped soldiers control movement in and out of the fort.
Discoveries from Excavations
Archaeologists have dug up Milecastle 35 multiple times. The first dig was in 1947, and then more work happened between 1978 and 1980, with a bit more in 1982. These digs helped experts understand how the milecastle changed over time.
- Early Buildings: The first buildings inside the milecastle were small, with stone foundations.
- Later Changes: Around the late 2nd or early 3rd century, new buildings were added on the east and west sides.
- Repairs and Industry: After a period of not being used much, new, simpler buildings were put up. There was also a lot of metal-working happening here, showing it was a busy place.
- New Foundations: Later, more stone foundations were placed over the areas where metal-working had taken place.
Interestingly, people lived here again much later, between the 13th and 16th centuries (the medieval period). They built two large farmhouses called longhouses on top of the old Roman remains.
Associated Turrets: The Wall's Watchtowers
Every milecastle along Hadrian's Wall had two smaller watchtowers, called turrets, nearby. These turrets were placed about one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the milecastle. Soldiers from the nearest milecastle would have guarded these turrets. The two turrets connected to Milecastle 35 are known as Turret 35A and Turret 35B.
Turret 35A (Sewingshields Crag)
Turret 35A is a well-preserved structure that you can still see today. It measures about 3.7 metres by 2.4 metres inside, and its walls are still up to 0.75 metres high. It was excavated in 1958. During this dig, a rough stone slab with writing on it was found nearby.
Turret 35B (Busy Gap)
Turret 35B is located at the top of a ridge before the land drops down into an area called Busy Gap. It was first found in 1913 and then excavated in 1946. The excavations showed that this turret had narrow walls and a door facing east. Today, you can't see much of it above ground, just a raised area of earth measuring about 3.8 metres by 5.5 metres and up to 0.5 metres high.
Visiting Milecastle 35
If you want to explore these historic sites, Milecastle 35, Turret 35A, and the location of Turret 35B are all accessible. You can reach them by walking along the Hadrian's Wall Path, a popular trail that follows the route of the ancient wall.
