Hadrian's Wall Milecastle (MC.42)
Marching Camps & Milestones

Cawfields, Northumberland

NGRef: NY7166
OSMap: LR87
Type: Hadrianic Milecastle, Marching Camps, Milestones.
 MC42 from Crag
Milecastle 42 from Cawfields Crag
Roads
Roman Military Way: W (¾) to AESICA (Great Chesters, Northumberland)
Roman Military Way: E (4¾) to VERCOVICIVM (Housesteads, Northumberland)
Probable Trackway: S (¹/3) to Haltwhistle Burn (Northumberland)

Cawfields from SE
The Cawfields Milecastle
from the Military Way to the south-east

There are no entries in the R.I.B. for the Cawfields milecastle itself, but a couple of inscribed Roman milestones have been uncovered along the line of the Roman Military Way about 220 yards to the ESE. The smallest of these is inscribed IMP CAES NVBERIANO N C "For Imperator Caesar [Marcus Aurelius] Numerianus [Pius Felix Augustus], our emperor" (RIB 2307; dated: AD282/283). Numerian was the younger son of the emperor Carus who came to power following the sudden death of his father in July or August 283. He was murdered by the praetorian commander Lucius Flavius Aper in November 284 whilst travelling in his litter across Asia Minor to the Bosphorous. This and the other inscribed milestone (RIB 2306, vide supra) now both reside in the Chesters Museum; a third uninscribed Roman pillar still lies in situ on the Roman Military Way south of the Cawfields milecastle.

Milestones from Hadrian's Wall, c.220 Yards ESE of Cawfields Milecastle #42
IMP CAES M AVREL SEVERO ALEXANDRO PI FEL AVG P M TR P II COS P P CVR CL XENEPHON TE LEG AVG PR PRAET M P XVIII
"For Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus,¹ High Priest, holder of tribunician power for the second time, consul, Father of his Country; during the administration of Claudius Xenephon,² pro-praetorian legate of the emperor, eighteen thousand paces [of road was built]."
(RIB 2306; dated: AD222/223)
  1. These are the full names of the emperor Severus Alexander (or Alexander Severus), who was adopted by emperor Elagabalus in AD221 and succeeded him in March 222 aged only 13. He was made consul for the remainder of 222 and was granted tribunician power for the second time in December that same year. He was murdered at Bretzenheim in March 235, only 26 years old, but having reigned as emperor for half of them.
  2. Claudius Xenephon was pro-praetorian governor of Britannia Inferior during AD222/223.
  3. Presumably to/from somewhere 18 (Roman) miles along the Roman Military Way. The only known Roman establishment fitting this criteria is the Portgate, which lies almost 19 miles to the east near the fort at Halton Chesters. There is nothing remarkable situated a similar distance to the west.
Cawfields east
Hadrian's Wall Looking East
just to the east of Milecastle 42		 Cawfields west
Hadrian's Wall and Milecastle 42
looking west from the same spot

There are three temporary marching camps in the Cawfields area; one at Cawfields itself, another at Markham Cottage and one more at Chesters Pike.

See: O.S. map: 'Hadrian's Wall - Haltwhistle & Hexham' (Outdoor Leisure #43; 1:25,000 scale);
Chronicle of the Roman Emperors by Chris Scarre (Thames & Hudson, London, 1995);
The Roman Inscriptions of Britain by R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright (Oxford 1965).
All English translations, including any inherent mistakes, are my own.

This page is dedicated to Tony Price - Fanx for pointing out the deliberate stupid mistake!

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