Hadrian’s Wall Guide to the Visible Remains
Brunton Turret T26B
After a quarter mile walk north of the village of Wall, you will see the Brunton Turret sign on the right. Over the style and about 100yds up the hill is the turret looking down on the Tyne.
The above gives an illustration as the turret was probably built, and on the right is the reconstruction at Vindolanda. The tops are different, as we can only guess at the way they were finished. The turrets were built ahead of the Wall; this one had to be altered to accommodate the narrow wall.
Chesters Bridge
After returning to the road we proceed to the left towards the Chollerford Bridge turning left just before the bridge and proceed over the fields to the river opposite Chesters Roman Baths. Here high and dry is the Chesters Bridge abutment as the river has moved 50ft north.
This bridge was constructed at the end of the second century possibly after the first was washed away. The stone blocks in the foundations are very large and similar to those used at Corbridge, but the bridges are very different.
For more information go to the Chesters Guide
Back to the road the way you came and over the bridge, bearing right past the entrance to Chesters Roman Fort. Continue up the hill to Walwick.
Milecastle 29
Over the crest from Walwick below a small wood is Milecastle 29. Its remains exist as a mutilated earth platform accentuated by deep trenches around all sides, and are located beside the Military Road., a ditch has been identified around the Milecastle, and is still visible to a small extent, probably to drain the site.
Looking west you can see a significant length of the Wall with a ditch north of the Wall and a glimpse of the Vallum south of the wall
Turret 29A
The turret (A29) is located about 100 yds. east of the minor road to Simonburn, and exists within 500 yds. in a long stretch of the wall of Narrow gauge, with clearly visible foundation stones. Although severely robbed on the south side, the masonry stands up to eleven courses higher in the recess. The presence of the broad wing walls indicates that the fortification was constructed prior to the decision to narrow the Wall. At the structure’s highest point, there are fourteen cut stones per horizontal row.
The internal measurements of the turret are 11.3 ft. by 11.2 ft. and it is of a type thought to have been built by the 20th Legion. The entrance is 3.0 ft. wide and located on the east side of the south wall.
Milecastle 30
The Milecastle is the most northerly on the Wall. Its remains exist as an outward-facing scarp with a maximum height of (2.6 ft. Masonry from the east wall (both faces) remains. The remaining stretch is (10 ft. in length by 7.4 ft. thick, and survives to a height of 2.0 ft. It is located in the western part of Limestone Corner, just off the road.
Limestone Corner
Despite the name, the rock in the area is not actually limestone; it is volcanic whinstone. Teppermoor Hill, on which Limestone Corner stands, is the eastern outlier of the Whin Sill.
Moving west along the escarpment, a glacial surface drift of boulder clay begins to overlay the whinstone. To the east, the whinstone lies just below the current turf line approximately as far as Turret 29A
Excavated stones were left in and around the wall ditch
The wall ditch here was not completed. A short distance west significant whinstone blocks remain in the ditch, with others deposited on its northern lip. It is probably that the rock was just too hard, little if any was used in building the Wall. On to Carrawburgh car park on the other side of the road.