Milecastle 74 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milecastle 74 |
|
|---|---|
Milecastle 74 lies near the road from Burgh by Sands to Drumburgh
|
|
 Location in the City of Carlisle district
Location in Cumbria
|
|
| Type | Milecastle |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54°55′36″N 3°06′02″W / 54.92659°N 3.100446°W |
| County | Cumbria |
| Country | England |
Milecastle 74 (Burgh Marsh) was one of many small forts called milecastles. These forts were built along Hadrian's Wall in ancient Roman times. Each milecastle was placed about one Roman mile (which is a bit less than a modern mile) apart. They helped the Roman army guard the wall.
Contents
Hadrian's Wall and Milecastles
Hadrian's Wall was a huge stone wall built by the Roman Empire. It stretched across northern England. Emperor Hadrian ordered its construction to protect Roman Britain from tribes to the north.
What is a Milecastle?
Milecastles were like mini-forts built into Hadrian's Wall. They were small, usually square-shaped buildings. Each one had a gate that allowed soldiers to pass through the wall. They also housed a small group of soldiers.
Why were Milecastles important?
Milecastles helped control who could cross the border. They also served as guard posts. Soldiers stationed there could watch for any trouble. They were a key part of the wall's defense system.
The Mystery of Milecastle 74
Milecastle 74 is believed to be located near the road from Burgh by Sands to Drumburgh. However, this milecastle has never been found by archaeologists. Its exact spot is still a mystery.
Where is it supposed to be?
Experts have estimated where Milecastle 74 should be. They use the locations of other nearby wall structures to guess its position. The area where it's thought to be is called Burgh Marsh.
Why hasn't it been found?
Burgh Marsh is a marshy, wet area. This type of land makes it very hard to find ancient ruins. There are no known remains of Hadrian's Wall itself in this specific marshy section. This makes finding the milecastle even tougher.
Associated Turrets
Every milecastle along Hadrian's Wall had two smaller guard towers nearby. These towers are called turrets. They were usually placed about one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the milecastle.
Turrets 74A and 74B
The turrets linked to Milecastle 74 are known as Turret 74A and Turret 74B. Soldiers from the milecastle would have likely manned these turrets. They helped extend the watch over the surrounding area.
Are the Turrets Found?
Just like Milecastle 74, the exact locations of Turret 74A and Turret 74B have not been discovered. Both of these sites are also thought to be within the challenging Burgh Marsh area. There is no clear evidence of any wall structures in this part of the marsh.
