A major archaeological discovery has been made near Newcastle’s Ouseburn.
A dig has uncovered the remains of the only Hadrian’s Wall turret east of Newcastle on a development site at the top of Stepney Bank overlooking the Ouseburn valley. It would have stood at around nine metres in height and is the second largest turret to have been found along the whole length of the Wall.
The discovery was made by Pre-Construct Archaeology in an investigation of the site near the Tanners Arms pub after the demolition of Norris House and in advance of proposals for student housing. Dig site director Scott Vance described the turret find as “very exciting news” and of national importance.
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The turret, together with a milecastle known to have stood on the opposite side of the valley at the end of what is now Shields Road in Byker, would have commanded the Ouseburn security-wise and its strategic value was enhanced by being between the Roman forts at Newcastle ad Wallsend. That all was not secure and peaceful on this stretch of the frontier is suggested by another find from the dig – six pits in front of the Wall which would been packed with sharpened stakes as an obstacle to attackers.
Similar defensive pits were also found during excavations on Shields Road in 2010 and Melbourne Street to the west in 2012.
Mr Vance said: “Excitingly, our investigation has demonstrated that the potential for significant archaeological remains relating to Hadrian’s Wall can survive in the more built-up areas of urban Tyneside, with the discovery of the wall ditch and six obstacle pits as well as the remains of the turret. The turret was located at the top of the western bank of the Ouseburn that would have offered an ideal strategic position monitoring movement within the valley below, especially when considering the proposed location of the milecastle at the top of the eastern bank of the Ouseburn.”
Ouseburn Trust heritage guide George Davies has made a study of the valley’s Roman past and helps lead guided Roman-themed tours of the area. Four tours so far as part of the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 celebrations have been sell-outs and another two are planned.
He said: “The discovery at Norris House is very exciting. This is the only known turret east of Newcastle and is also exciting due to its unusual size. I think more work needs to be done to fully understand the unique nature of this turret and the relationship between its unusual size and its location.”
Ouseburn Trust chief executive Chris Barnard said that a longer-term ambition was to plot and mark the line of the wall across the valley. He said: “The turret discovery is a large piece of that jigsaw. I don’t think many people visiting the Ouseburn are aware that a world heritage site crosses the valley.”
Earlier this year a Roman altar, found near the site where the Cumberland Arms pub now stands overlooking the Ouseburn, returned to the valley where it was dedicated in the Second Century. It is on show in the Ouseburn Valley at Seven Stories: the National Centre for Children’s Books.
The altar, dedicated by Julius Maximus, has been borrowed from Tyne Wear Archives and Museums.
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