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Portgate
Northumberland, England, UK
Although the structure of the Portgate is unknown, it is likely to have resembled this reconstruction gateway at Arbeia
Portgate is located in Northumberland
Portgate
Portgate
Location in Northumberland
Coordinates55°00′46″N 2°01′18″W / 55.012663°N 2.021612°W / 55.012663; -2.021612
Grid referenceNY98736869
The Portgate is located just to the north of the Errington Arms at Stagshaw Roundabout

The Portgate was a fortfied gateway, constructed as part of the Roman Hadrian's Wall (Dere Street preceded Hadrian's Wall by around 50 years). It was built to control traffic along Dere Street as it passed through Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist beneath the old B6318 Military Road to the south-west of the Stagshaw Roundabout (the B6318 was diverted slightly for the construction of the Stagshaw Roundabout, leaving two short sections of the existing road unlinked - the remains of the Portgate are buried beneath the western section).[1]

Origins of the name

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If any name was given to the structure by the Romans, it is no longer known. Portgate is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin.

Construction

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The Portgate was constructed from very large masonary blocks. It projected between 3.06 metres (10.0 ft) and 3.66 metres (12.0 ft) north of the wall., sitting astride the wall. It was probably a square or rectangular structure.ref name=handbook>Breeze, David J (1934), Handbook to the Roman Wall (14th Revised edition - Nov 2006), Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, p. 184, ISBN 0901082651</ref>

Excavations and investigations

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  • 1732 - Horsley reported visible remains of a fortification at the location, reporting[2]
  • 1955 - English Heritage Field Investigation. It was noted that to the east of Dere Street there is a suggestion that the ditch turned north and followed the road for a short distance, however it is probable that this effect is due to contemporary drainage ditches.
  • 1966 - Excavation directed by Miss D. Charlesworth exposed the west tower of the Portgate in the verge a few inches North of the kerb of the B6318.[3]

Monument Records

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Monument Monument Number National Monuments Record Number
Portgate 181662 NY 96 NE 5

References

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  1. ^ "Portgate". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 Aug 2010.
  2. ^ Horsley, John (1732), Britannia Romana or the Roman Antiquities of Britain, Frank Graham (published 1974), ISBN 085983090X
  3. ^ The Journal of Roman Studies. 57. London: Society for Promotion of Roman Studies: 177. 1967. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Bibliography

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