Milecastle 18

Turret 18B[edit]

Turret 18B (Wallhouses West) lies beneath the grass verge of the Military Road. A toll house, now demolished, used to stand on much of the turret's remains.^[9] The turret was partially excavated in 1931 with a full excavation being undertaken by Durham University in 1959.^[8][9] The excavations revealed evidence of a platform on the turret's floor (made of clay) and a hearth in the doorway.^[8] This turret may have functioned as a workshop, as the hearth shows evidence of being used at high temperatures; a 1 m (3 ft 3 in) deep layer of iron oxide impregnated ash was present and many iron finds were made.^[8] A nearby small enclosure was apparently used as a coal store.^[8] Finds included an iron shield boss and 60 hobnails (suggesting the repair of shoes was carried out here) as well as a brooch, three copper items, a bone plaque, a struck flake, cooking pots, cut bones of cattle and pigs and shellfish remains.^[8] These finds demonstrate two distinct periods of occupation, separated by a layer of rubble.^[8] Durham University's excavation concluded that the turret had fallen out of use by the end of the 2nd century AD.^[9] There are no visible remains, and the turret was scheduled at the same time as the Milecastle and Turret 18A.^[9]

Location on Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 map: 55.010863°N 1.941646°W

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milecastle 18