Bewcastle
About 9.6 km NW of Birdoswald, 24 km NE of Carlisle, an outpost fort of the Hadrianic Wall system, occupied from the reign of Hadrian (RIB 995) to A.D. 367. Built during or after the construction of the Wall itself, it formed one of a series of outposts (the others being Netherby and Birrens) to screen the W end of the Wall. This fort had timber buildings, but its size and plan are unknown, as are its history and garrison during the 2d c.
In the 3d c. it was probably occupied by Cohors I Nervana Germanorum (RIB 966). In that case, like the other 3d and 4th c. outposts at Netherby, High Rochester, and Risingham, it was occupied by a cohors milliaria equitata. Bewcastle and Netherby between them could have fielded not only something approaching 2000 infantry, but also about 480 cavalry—virtually an ala quingenaria—a formidable force, capable of dealing with considerable disturbances N of the Wall without having to call on the Wall garrison.
The 3d c. fort was (unusually) an irregular hexagon, ca. 2.4 ha. The internal plan was therefore also irregular, although little is known in detail. The headquarters building and commander's house faced E. The sunken strongroom of the headquarters building, divided in two by a central wall shortly after construction, contained material from the destruction, perhaps at the end of the 3d c., of the shrine above it. The material included two fine silver plaques dedicated to Cocidius (RIB 986-987). Dedication to a local and unofficial deity in the shrine of a fort is unparalleled. This fact, and the number of altars dedicated to Cocidius from the site (RIB 966, 985, 988-89, 993), suggests either that Bewcastle was the Fanum Cocidi of the Ravenna Cosmography, or that his shrine was close at hand. The fort suffered further destruction in the mid 4th c. (perhaps A.D. 343, or 360), and was abandoned after the invasion of A.D. 367.
The bath house, of apparently standard Hadrianic type but within the fort, was excavated in 1954. No fort structures can now be seen on the ground.
BIBLIOGRAPHYE. Birley, Research on Hadrian's Wall (1961) 231-33. Excavation reports: I. A. Richmond et al., Trans. Cumberland and Westmorland Ant. and Arch. Soc. 38 (1938) 195-237; J. P. Gillam, ibid. 54 (1955) 265- 67PI.
J. C. MANN