High Rochester Roman Fort
With the roman name of Bremenium, place of the roaring stream.
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Location
High Rochester Roman Fort is situated on Dere St about 24 miles north of Corbridge and 8.5 mile north of Risingham. The fort is a short distance east of A68 north of today’s village on a small ridge. The Roman name Bremenium means place of the roaring stream.
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History
Its occupation was in 3 phases:
- The Agricolan Fort 78AD/85AD was built during the first invasion of Scotland to guard Dere St the main Roman road to Scotland in the east, which continued as its function throughout its occupation. The fort was built of turf with a wooden parasite and demolished following the abandonment of Scotland.
- The Antonine Fort from AD 139 was probably built for the second invasion of Scotland. It was built of rubble with clay rampart inside. There appears to be no occupation during Hadrian’s reign, although there is no evidence it probably remained occupied for the rest of the 2nd century
- The Severan Period is the remains seen today. The existing fort was demolished a new fort built. The rebuilding of the fort would have been part of a major refurbishing of the Wall undertaken in the first years of the 3rd There appears to have been a greater importance given to the outlying forts north and south of the Wall giving strength in depth. By the mid3rd century, the garrison was probably 6 times larger than Housesteads and contributed to the most peaceful period on the Northern Frontier.
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Description
This fort covered 5 acres and measured 485 ft by 445 ft. It was built with strong stone walls, 4 gateways and angle and interval turrets. The remains of the walls can still be seen on the west side of the fort along with the North and West gates. The side walls of an interval tower can be seen on the south wall near the road. The Southgate was demolished 200 years ago. Six of the defence ditches are still visible and can be seen above. A significant number of buildings have been identified in the south of the fort and a large HQ building found with 70 ft frontage. There has been no excavation for over eighty years. None of the buildings are visible today.
A few years later Ballistaria platforms were added running back 32ft from the walls, for large machines capable of hurling large missiles over the ramparts to break up any massed attack. This was a fort built to be defended like Whitley Castle, which again was remotely located, but south of the Wall.
West of the Fort.
It has been known for a long time that there were a number of annexes to the west of the fort. The Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle undertook a Geophysical Survey of this area. The first conclusion was that it was far more extensive than originally thought. Only in certain circumstances is it possible to get any dating evidence from geographical investigations. Either is it easy to identify precisely the purpose of the building
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The first annexes were from the Agricolan period, with continued troop movement a defended area would have been useful making the need to build defendable camps each night not necessary. It is unlikely that there was any civilian settlement at this time as civilians were not allowed into military areas.
The same applies in the Antonine period, except that there was a general acceptance of civilians in military areas the likelihood of a civilian settlement is more probably especially as evidence of metalworking and industrial have been found on site.
In the Servian period, it would also utilise the annexes, as it was the most northerly fort.in the Roman Empire; no new roman forts were built during 208/211 AD campaigns. For the garrison at this time outlined below the fort would have been too small, particularly with significant mounted contingents. Therefore it is likely that the annex may have been used for the overspill.
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It is possible that the geophysics have identified a building that could be the bathhouse.
The Garrisons
In the second century the 1st Cohort of Loyal Lingones, a Celtic tribe of Gaols, garrisoned the fort with a part mounted cohort. In the 3rd century, it was 1st Cohort of Vardullians, a part mounted cohort 1000 strong with a unit of scouts. The scouts were a mounted formation that patrolled north of the wall to identify trouble well before it was close to the forts. They became notorious as a result of the Barbarian Conspiracy, where the Picts, Irish and Saxons combined to attack at the same time in 367AD, and the scouts were bribed not to report the advancing formations. The fort was abandoned before the Scouts’ betrayal in the first quarter of the 4th century. Where the Scouts were based after they left the fort is unknown.
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Monument
This unusual find was found at High Rochester Roman Fort and can be seen in the Great Northern museum in Newcastle.
The crouching Aphrodite
Now when you first look at this, you think this is a really Celtic piece of art. You’ve got very pear-shaped females. It’s not the most beautiful piece of work. And certainly Venus looks extremely glum, if you look at her close-up. But then you realise with the details that what we have here is a classical scene. This scene is based on a third-century BC piece by the sculptor Diodalsas which shows Aphrodite– the crouching Aphrodite. Here we have her holding her hair. She’s kneeling by a stream. You can just make out the water here.
High Rochester has a significant number of inscriptions