Benwell, Condercum Fort, Bath House

HER Number:
5263

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Benwell, Condercum Fort, Bath House

Place:
Benwell

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Health and Welfare

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Bath House

General Period:
Roman

Specific Period:
C2-C3

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
This lay circa 274m south-west of the fort on the slope towards the river. A large dressing room was later added to the original scheme. In 1751-2 the second Robert Shafto of Benwell drew plans of the fort (the platform still stood at that time) and the large bath-house. The plan is reproduced in Brand, 1789, I, p607. The precise location of the bath-house has never been ascertained. The building measured c.25m x 31m. There were other extra-mural buildings in the vicinity {1}. A drain was traced through the south east corner of the fort southwards for about 60m in 1926. Walls of stone buildings were recorded there. Shafto's plan shows a large changing room and two rows of rooms forming the steam range. A regular Hadrianic plan.

Easting:
2130

Northing:
6450

Grid Reference:
NZ21306450

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 5263 >> C. Bruce, 1966, Handbook to the Roman Wall, 12th edition, p53-4 J. Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle, I, pp. 605-607 E. Birley, 1961, Research on Hadrian's Wall, p 76 Tyne and Wear Museums, 1991, The Roman Fort at Benwell and Its Environs, A survey of the extent and presentation of the archaeological remains; Guy de la Bedoyere, 2005, Hadrian's Wall History and Guide, pp 43-44; David J. Breeze, 2006, J. Collingwood Bruce's Handbook to the Roman Wall, 14th edition, pp 151-157