Milecastle 50, Roman defensive structure near Birdoswald, England.
Milecastle 50 is a Roman defensive structure located along Hadrian's Wall near Birdoswald, with a rectangular design that measured approximately 72 feet by 55 feet (22.12 meters by 16.76 meters). The interior held two separate rooms, each equipped with its own hearth for heating and daily operations.
This milecastle was constructed during Emperor Hadrian's reign in the 2nd century as part of the frontier wall system. It functioned as a military checkpoint that monitored movement across the Roman border for several generations.
The garrison of 20 to 30 auxiliary soldiers monitored the movement of people, goods, and livestock between Roman Britain and the northern territories.
No visible remains of this structure survive at the site today, but you can explore the location by following nearby walking paths along Hadrian's Wall. The site is easy to reach and fits naturally into a longer hike through the border region.
Rather than being replaced with stone like many similar structures, this site retained its original turf construction, making it a rare survivor of early Roman building methods. A new stone wall was later built approximately 200 meters to the north, leaving the older structure undisturbed.
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