Portgate
Encyclopedia
The Portgate was a fortified gateway, constructed as part of the Roman
Hadrian's Wall
(Dere Street preceded Hadrian's Wall by around 50 years). It was built to control traffic along Dere Street
as it passed through Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist beneath the old B6318 Military Road to the south-west of the Stagshaw Roundabout (the B6318 was diverted slightly for the construction of the Stagshaw Roundabout, leaving two short sections of the existing road unlinked - the remains of the Portgate are buried beneath the western section).
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
(Dere Street preceded Hadrian's Wall by around 50 years). It was built to control traffic along Dere Street
Dere Street
Dere Street or Deere Street, was a Roman road between Eboracum and Veluniate, in what is now Scotland. It still exists in the form of the route of many major roads, including the A1 and A68 just north of Corbridge.Its name corresponds with the post Roman Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Deira, through...
as it passed through Hadrian's Wall. Its remains exist beneath the old B6318 Military Road to the south-west of the Stagshaw Roundabout (the B6318 was diverted slightly for the construction of the Stagshaw Roundabout, leaving two short sections of the existing road unlinked - the remains of the Portgate are buried beneath the western section).
Origins of the name
If any name was given to the structure by the Romans, it is no longer known. The name Portgate is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin.Construction
The Portgate was constructed from very large masonry blocks. It projected between 3.06 metres (10 ft) and 3.66 metres (12 ft) north of the wall., sitting astride the wall. It was probably a square or rectangular structure.Excavations and investigations
- 1732 - John Horsley reported visible remains of a fortification at the location, stating
- 1955 - English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Field Investigation. It was noted that to the east of Dere Street there is a suggestion that the ditch turned north and followed the road for a short distance, however it is probable that this effect is due to contemporary drainage ditches.
- 1966 - Excavation directed by Miss D. Charlesworth exposed the west tower of the Portgate in the verge a few inches North of the kerb of the B6318.
Monument Records
| Monument | Monument Number | National Monuments Record NMR NMR may refer to:Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance:* Nuclear magnetic resonance* NMR spectroscopy* Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance* Protein nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy* Proton NMR* Carbon-13 NMR... Number |
| Portgate | 181662 | NY 96 NE 5 |