Milecastle 3 (Ouseburn) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. No remains exist, but it was thought to have been located at the junction of the A187 Byker Bridge and Stephen Street.
Milecastle 3 | |
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Tyne and Wear, England, UK | |
Milecastle 3 Location in Tyne and Wear | |
Coordinates | 54°58′33″N 1°35′20″W / 54.975901°N 1.589009°W |
Grid reference | NZ26406466 |
No evidence exists as to the configuration or type of Milecastle 3, though the curtain wall at this stage was almost certainly a narrow configuration.[1]
Each milecastle on Hadrian's Wall had two associated turret structures. These turrets were positioned approximately one-third and two-thirds of a Roman mile to the west of the Milecastle, and would probably have been manned by part of the milecastle's garrison. The turrets associated with Milecastle 3 are known as Turret 3A and Turret 3B.
Nothing is known of Turret 3A and it was presumed to be located around 54°58′30″N 1°35′46″W / 54.974892°N 1.596128°W.[6] In September 2022 Pre-Construct Archaeology announced that they had located the turret at approximately 54°58′28″N 1°35′44.5″W / 54.97444°N 1.595694°W, during surveys in advance of construction of student accommodation. Excavations found the walls of the turret in addition to a ditch and six obstacle pits. Turret 3A became the most easterly known turret on the wall. The turret was recorded as having a length of around 12 metres (39 ft) and foundations of 2.36–2.46 metres (7 ft 9 in – 8 ft 1 in) in width. The interior of the turret is thought to have been truncated by late 19th or early 20th century construction work. A Roman tegula tile was recovered, suggesting that the turret may have had a tiled roof.[7]
Nothing is known of Turret 3B.[8]
Presumed location: 54°58′20″N 1°36′09″W / 54.972217°N 1.602403°W
Monument | Monument Number | English Heritage Archive Number |
Milecastle 3 | 24904 | NZ 26 SE 15 |
Turret 3A | 24907 | NZ 26 SE 16 |
Turret 3B | 24912 | NZ 26 SE 17 |