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Whitely Castle
Those of you who are fans of Bernard Cornwell will know Whitley castle from his latest book: those of you who know their Roman stuff will know it as Epiacum Fort: and those who really know their stuff will know it’s the most complex set of defences in the Roman world
Crammed between the grass and sky
And what a setting it is: crammed between the grass and the sky, the fortress sits on a high ridge above the Road, imposing itself on the surrounding countryside. The remains of the defences are like green frozen waves rolling out from the walls and the remains of the corner towers are so clear you can practically still see the chilled garrison huddling around the fires, avoiding the chilly winds racing across the bleak beautiful fells.
Lozenge Shape
The location is narrow, and so the fort is less a rectangle and more a lozenge. The overlooking fells were clearly of sufficient worry for the various commanders to keep his lads busy adding to and complicating the banks that run away in rolling damp grassy undulations from the fort, but aside from a few isolated farms and an RAF fighter or 2 we reckoned the builders of this place would easily recognize it today
The only locals in sight were woolly, the only people were us, and the only sound was that of the drone and the wind, and we could have stayed forever. A place we will definitely visit again, and if you haven’t then take my advice. Do.
An uninscribed Iron Age gold stater of the southern region / Belgae, 'Cheriton smiler' type dating to 60-20 BC. Obverse: wreath split by three corded lines leading to a "turf curter". Reverse: disjointed horse, left. As ABC 755, BMC 86-7, [...]
A complete silver Sixpence of Elizabeth I (AD 1558-1603). Second coinage. Long cross fourchée reverse over squared shield with date above. Long cross initial mark. London mint. AD 1580.Diameter: 25.17mm, Thickness: 0.76mm, Weight: 2.83gNorth Vol II, P 134, No [...]
An incomplete silver Penny of Elizabeth I (AD 1558-1603). Long cross fourchée reverse over squared reverse shield. London mintDiameter: 15.36mm, Thickness: 0.60mm, Weight: 0.50gThe coin is missing minor portions its outer flan. [...]
An incomplete silver Penny of Edward I-Henry VII (AD 1272-1489). Long cross reverse with three pellets in each quadrant. London mint. AD 1279-1351.Diameter: 13.84mm, Thickness: 0.45mm, Weight: 0.46gThe coin is missing the majority of its outer flan due [...]
An incomplete silver Penny of Edward I (AD 1272-1307). Class 3g. Long cross reverse with three pellets in each quadrant. Canterbury mint. AD 1280-1281Diameter: 19.44mm, Thickness: 0.72mm, Weight: 1.14gThe coin is missing portions of its outer flan between [...]
An incomplete silver Penny of Edward I (AD 1272-1307). Class 10cf3. Long cross reverse with three pellets in each quadrant. Unclear mint. AD 1307-1309.Length: 15.40mm, Width: 12.69mm, Thickness: 0.89mm, Weight: 0.97gThe coin is missing a large portion of [...]
An incomplete silver Penny of Edward IV, First or Second reign (AD 1461-1483). Unclear type. Long cross reverse with three pellets in each quadrant. London mint. Diameter: 16.30mm, Thickness: 0.57mm, Weight: 0.66gThe coin is missing a [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Unclear mint. [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of Constans (AD333-350) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Mint of Trier. LRBC p6, no.133. [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Mint of Trier. [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Unclear mint. [...]
An incomplete silver shilling of Charles I (AD 1625-1649). Probably Group A or B dating to AD 1625-8 (North 2216 or 2218). Initial mark unknown. London mint. North (1991: 159). Coin has been clipped removing [...]
A Medieval cast copper alloy heraldic horse harness pendant, probably dating to c. AD 1280-1400.The pendant is square in plan and mostly flat in cross section. From the middle of the top edge projects an integral transverse loop. [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Unclear mint. [...]
Cast copper alloy zoomorphic strap end with a single rivet hole. 'Body' of the animal is undecorated. Suggested date: Early Medieval, 800-850Length: 37mm, Width: 8.3mm, Thickness: 5mm [...]
A copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Unclear mint. [...]
A Medieval silver halfpenny of Edward III (AD 1327-1377) third, ‘florin’ coinage, type 7, dating to AD 1344-51. London Mint. North (1991:48) No. 1131-2 [...]
An incomplete copper alloy Roman nummus of the House of Constantine (AD307-361) dating to AD335-343 (Reece period 17). GLORIA EXERCITVS reverse type depicting two soldiers with one standard. Unclear mint. [...]
Copper alloy strap end decorated with ring-dot. Traces of bifurcation on broken edge. Possibly Thomas Class B. Suggested date: Early Medieval, 800-900Length: 34.7mm, Width: 7.5mm, Thickness: 4.8mm [...]
A Roman copper alloy dupondius of Vespasian (AD 69-79) dating to the period 71-72 (Reece period 4). PAX AVG S C reverse type depicting Pax, draped, standing left, sacrificing out of patera in right hand over lighted altar left [...]
