WREAY

Roman Fort & Signal-Station

Wreay, Cummersdale, Cumbria

Roads
NGRef: NY4449 OSMap: LR85 Type: Fort, Signal-Station.
Iter II: NNW (5) to LVGVVALIVM (Carlisle, Cumbria) Iter II: SSE (8) to VOREDA (Old Penrith, Cumbria)

The Fort at Park House Farm, Wreay

The rounded eastern corner-angle, an attached length of about 300 ft. of the north-east side and a shorter length of the south-east side were discovered from the air by Prof. J.K. St. Joseph in the late-1940's. The fort platform is easily seen from ground-level.

Two republican denarii have been found on the site of the fort; an issue of 81BC, and a late-second century BC Roma/Quadriga type. These coins were withdrawn from circulation by Trajan c.AD107 (vide Cassius Dio, LXVIII.xv.3), although in Britain they may have continued in use until the reign of Hadrian.

The Wreay Hall Signal-Station

This site was discovered by Prof. St. Joseph at the same time as the nearby fort and investigated on the ground by R.L. Bellhouse. The double-ditched camp measured about 62 by 55 feet (c. 19 x 17 m) within the defences, enclosing an area of less than one-tenth of an acre (0.03 Ha). The meagre pottery evidence, like that at the nearby station on Barrock Fell, points to an occupation around the late-4th century.

Roman Military Sites in the Neighbourhood

Location	N.G.Ref	Remarks
Wreay, Park House Farm	NY4449	Fort
Wreay Hall	NY4448	Signal Station
Barrock Fell	NY4646	Signal Station
Carleton	NY4451	Marching Camp
Barrockside	NY4547	Marching Camp
Low Hesket	NY4646	Milestone
Scalesceugh	NY4449	Milestone and Potteries

Epigraphic Evidence from the Wreay Area

There are no Latin inscriptions on stone recorded in Volume I of the R.I.B., but a couple of Roman milestones or honorific pillars have been unearthed nearby along the Carlisle - York road. One from Low Hesket, about 9 miles south-east of Carlisle (RIB 2288; vide infra), and another at Scalesceugh, only 5 miles south-east of Carlisle (RIB 2289; milestone; dated: AD238-244).

Milestone from Low Hesket, 9 miles SE of Carlisle

IMP C FL VAL CONSTANTINO P F INV AVG
"Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus¹" *(RIB* 2288; milestone; dated: AD307-337)**

The Christian emperor Constantine, who ruled from late AD307 until his death of natural causes at Ankyrona in May 337. See also the milestone from Worcester.

See: Historical Map and Guide - Roman Britain by the Ordnance Survey (3rd, 4th & 5th eds., 1956, 1994 & 2001);
Chronicle of the Roman Emperors by Chris Scarre (Thames & Hudson, London, 1995);
Air Reconnaissance of North Britain by J.K. St. Joseph in J.R.S. xli (1951) pp.52-65;
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.