A Fragment of the Past: the Romans at Denton

On a recent visit to Newcastle's Great North Museum: Hancock, I fell upon this little piece of history relating to my home patch, Denton Burn. The inscription seems to intimate that the section of Wall hereabouts was built by a soldiery unit from modern-day Romania, led by a Thracian (from modern-day Greece). However, further research suggests that it pertains to the construction of the Vallum a little to the south of the Wall. Here's a drawing of the inscription:

In case you're wondering, it was found on the north edge of the south mound of the Vallum, during the construction of the present-day housing estate in the late 1930s. The exact point of discovery was the top of Heathwell Road, where it meets the thoroughfare known as West Vallum. The slab would have been laid, on show, in the side of the earthen Vallum. 

Anyway, that's the short version of the story. If you'd like a little more detail, then click here.

Newcastle's Lost West End ... and a Photo Archive!

A couple of days ago I visited Newcastle's West End Library on Condercum Road for a talk entitled 'Lost Farms of the West End'. The chap who was supposed to be taking the talk, Ian Farrier, was ill and had to hand over the reins at the last minute to a colleague (whose name I don't think we were ever given). Despite the unexpected change of plan, the event was a great success - so my thanks must go to the mystery lady who stepped in.

It is not my intention to fill you in on all the detail here, but suffice to say that, well, being a native of the West End, it was all fascinating stuff. I was born in the General Hospital, lived for 18 months in South Benwell, then moved to, and grew up in, Denton Burn. The talk covered, in the main, Benwell, Elswick and Fenham, but strayed into Kenton, Denton and much else besides. Very, very interesting.

When we think of what the West End was like in the distant past, we imagine that there must always have been plenty going on in what is now, after all, densely populated suburban sprawl. However, up until the mid-1600s the outlying area to the west of Newcastle was almost completely empty, with a scattering of small villages surrounded by a myriad of huge open fields of 'strip farming'. Locals would live in their little village and each family would tend to a handful of specially-allocated strips of land, each located at different sites, often a mile or more apart. The outstanding example of one of these 'little settlements' that still (sort of) exists is Benwell village to the immediate west of Benwell Towers. Additionally, of course, the odd scrap of 'ridge/rigg and furrow' can also be seen here and there, being a remnant of the old strip farming method.

Strip farming was hugely inefficient. So, in time, the local landowners (with the help of various 'Enclosure Acts') scrapped the traditional way of tending the land and created large 'enclosed' fields that could be farmed in a more 'industrial' way. This is pretty much the pattern of the countryside we still see today. It was at about this time, too - the late 1600s onwards - that new farmsteads were created at the centres of these new networks of fields. Some of these old buildings still survive, many have been altered/replaced and a great deal of them demolished. At the same period, these new fields acquired names such as Long Riggs, Cottage Field or Pond Field.

When, in the 1800s and early 1900s, this land found its way back onto the market for sale, property developers moved in and started building houses for the booming industrial classes of the city's suburbs. Only then did we really have intensive human activity in this part of the world. Many of the old field names survived this dramatic transition, and any little villages, hamlets and farmsteads were swept from the map. A few of the old buildings have hung on, but most have disappeared - some within living memory (including mine!).

I'm guessing that this story could be repeated the country over. Makes you hungry for more information!

Two big, big recommendations come from all of this. First of all, there is the website of the St.James' Heritage & Environment Group - a priceless resource for those with West End interests. And secondly, for those with general Newcastle interests, you have simply got to have a look at the group's Newcastle Photo Archive - which is brilliant, covering, as it does, much, much more than the West End.

The Romans at Denton

Those of you who endured my ramblings about my relationship with the Roman ruins near my childhood home in volume 1 of The Great North-East may be interested in a little further detail. And those of you who didn't ... well, you may want to at least look at the pictures.

So blasé was, and indeed still is, my attitude to the multiple stretches of Roman Wall in Denton, that I didn't even have any personal photographs of them. So the other day I thought I'd put that right and go have a proper look at the ancient specimens in question. We'll have a look at them east-to-west.

OK, then. Remember that the Roman (or Hadrian's) Wall ran roughly along the course, westwards, out of Newcastle, all the way along the West Road and way beyond. If you begin at the junction where Denton Road / Silver Lonnen meet the West Road, then you will see a petrol station - pretty much on the roundabout. It's a busy little corner of the western suburbs; but have a look on the forecourt and you will see our first little taste of the old frontier, thus:

Yes, that's it. But a few yards further on, on the other side of the neighbouring restaurant, can be found:

Yes, and that does say 'Wonderwall' in the background (deary me). Remember, we're celebrating the 1,900th anniversary of the Wall this year.

Moving on through Denton's shops and beyond the footbridge, you will find an especially interesting section of stonework, known as Denton Hall Turret:

As you can see, this is an especially tempting piece of 'climbing frame' material for kids, and I played my part regularly on this old turret half a century ago (OK, I'm not proud).

Finally, a short walk westward (beyond the big roundabout where the West Road crosses the Western By-Pass) brings you to another long stretch of masonry:

After this point the busy A69 sweeps over the course of the Wall; the foundations of the road no doubt containing several ton of scattered Roman rock. That's it, I think, until you get to an especially impressive section at Heddon-on-the-Wall.

And, yes, I'm afraid I did briefly tread on the Wall at Denton Hall Turret ... just for old times' sake.