Milefortlet 3 (Pasture House) was a Milefortlet of the Roman Cumbrian Coast defences. These milefortlets and intervening stone watchtowers extended from the western end of Hadrian's Wall, along the Cumbrian coast and were linked by a wooden palisade. They were contemporary with defensive structures on Hadrian's Wall. There is little to see on the ground but Milefortlet 3 has been located on aerial photographs.

Milefortlet 3
Looking towards Pasture House Farm, and the approximate site of Milefortlet 3
Milefortlet 3 is located in Cumbria
Milefortlet 3
Milefortlet 3 shown within Cumbria
TypeMilecastle
Place in the Roman world
ProvinceBritannia
Location
Coordinates54°55′57″N 3°16′18″W / 54.932558°N 3.271664°W / 54.932558; -3.271664
CountyCumbria
CountryEngland
Reference
UK-OSNG referenceNY18616050

Description

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Milefortlet 3 is situated in a field beside Pasture House Farm in the civil parish of Bowness. It was located in 1945 by the finding of turfwork immediately beyond the stream northeast of the farm.[1] There is little to see from the ground but most of the outline of the milefortlet was seen as a soilmark on aerial photographs in 1946.[1]

Associated Towers

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Each milefortlet had two associated towers, similar in construction to the turrets built along Hadrian's Wall. These towers were positioned approximately one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the Milefortlet, and would probably have been manned by part of the nearest Milefortlet's garrison. The towers associated with Milefortlet 3 are known as Tower 3A (grid reference NY18126042) and Tower 3B (grid reference NY17646031).[2][3]

The position of Tower 3A is uncertain, although there used to be a mound in a field about 400 metres west of Pasture House.[2] The site of Tower 3B is within another field, and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[3] Tower 3B was excavated by in 1880 which revealed a flagged floor surface, on which were the remains of pottery, an amphora handle, human bones, and quantities of mussel shells.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Historic England, "Milefortlet 3 (9694)", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 26 November 2013
  2. ^ a b Historic England, "Tower 3A (9688)", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 26 November 2013
  3. ^ a b c Historic England, "Tower 3B (9691)", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 26 November 2013
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