Milecastle 42 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milecastle 42 |
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The remains of Milecastle 42
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 Location in Northumberland
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| Type | Milecastle |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54°59′38″N 2°26′45″W / 54.993992°N 2.445829°W |
| County | Northumberland |
| Country | England |
Milecastle 42 (Cawfields) is an ancient Roman fortlet. It is a small but important part of Hadrian's Wall, a famous barrier built by the Romans in Britain. This milecastle helped soldiers guard the wall and control movement along it.
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What is Milecastle 42?
Milecastle 42 sits on a steep hill facing south. It is located near Cawfield Crags and looks over Hole Gap to the west. This part of Hadrian's Wall is very well preserved.
The milecastle itself measures about 17.8 metres (58 feet) from east to west. It is 14.4 metres (47 feet) from north to south inside. Its walls are about 2.8 metres (9 feet) thick and still stand about 1.4 metres (4.5 feet) high.
Discovering the Past: Excavations
Archaeologists have dug at Milecastle 42 two times. The first digs happened in 1847–48. More work was done in 1936.
What the Digs Found
During the 1847–48 excavation, a special stone slab was found. This slab showed that the Legio II Augusta built the milecastle. This was a Roman legion, or a large unit of soldiers.
The 1936 excavations helped us understand the milecastle's design. They showed it had a "short axis" layout. This means its main entrance was on the shorter side. It also had a "Type I gateway," which is a specific style of gate.
Guarding the Wall: Associated Turrets
Every milecastle along Hadrian's Wall had two smaller guard posts nearby. These posts are called turrets. They were placed about one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west. Soldiers from the milecastle likely staffed these turrets.
The turrets linked to Milecastle 42 are known as Turret 42A and Turret 42B.
Turret 42A (Burn Head)
The remains of Turret 42A have not been found. This is because quarrying in the area destroyed them over time.
Turret 42B (Great Chesters)
Turret 42B was discovered during an exploration in 1912. Today, you can see its site as a turf-covered platform. It stands about 0.5 metres (1.6 feet) high.
Visiting Milecastle 42
Both Milecastle 42 and the site of Turret 42B are open to visitors. You can reach them by walking along the Hadrian's Wall Path. There is a car park at Cawfields Picnic Area. This car park is located right on the Hadrian's Wall Path, between the two sites. You can find it by following signs from the B6318 (Military Road).
