Milecastle 41 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milecastle 41 |
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_Milecastle_41_-_geograph.org.uk_-_610141.jpg)
The site of Milecastle 41
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 Location in Northumberland
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| Type | Milecastle |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54°59′50″N 2°25′23″W / 54.997335°N 2.423185°W |
| County | Northumberland |
| Country | England |
Milecastle 41 (Melkridge) was a small fort, called a milecastle, built along Hadrian's Wall in ancient Roman times. These milecastles were like mini-forts placed about every Roman mile along the wall. They helped control who passed through and protected the border.
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What is Milecastle 41?
Milecastle 41 is found to the east of a place called Caw Gap. Today, you can see its remains as low, grassy mounds. These mounds show where the walls of the milecastle once stood. Long ago, a small house was built on this spot. Its builders used stones taken from the old milecastle.
Digging Up the Past
Archaeologists explored Milecastle 41 in 1946. They found that it had a "short axis" design. This means it was wider than it was long. They also discovered that the milecastle had been rebuilt many times over the years. This shows it was an important spot that needed regular repairs.
The Turrets: Hadrian's Wall Watchtowers
Every milecastle on Hadrian's Wall had two turrets nearby. These turrets were like small watchtowers. They were placed about one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of each milecastle. Soldiers from the milecastle would have guarded these turrets. The turrets linked to Milecastle 41 are known as Turret 41A and Turret 41B.
Turret 41A (Caw Gap)
Experts found Turret 41A during an exploration in 1912. It had a doorway on the east side of its south wall. Later, the Romans purposely took down this turret. They then built Hadrian's Wall right over its location. The remains of Turret 41A were made stable in 1972-73. Today, they stand about 20 centimeters high.
Turret 41B (Thorny Doors)
Turret 41B was also discovered in 1912. This happened during the same exploration that found Turret 41A. Unlike Turret 41A, there are no visible remains of Turret 41B today. It is just a known site.
Visiting Milecastle 41
You can visit the site of Milecastle 41. You can also see the remains of Turret 41A and the spot where Turret 41B once stood. All these places are easy to reach using the Hadrian's Wall Path. This path is a popular walking trail that follows the line of the ancient wall.
