Devil's Causeway

{{Short description|Roman road in England}} {{Hatnote|Not to be confused with the [[Devil's Highway (Roman Britain)]], another Roman road in southern Britain.}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Float|top=222px|right=89px|[[File:BSicon STR.svg|x18px]]}} {{Infobox road |route= Devil's Causeway |location = [[Northumberland]], [[England]], UK |country=GBR |type=Roman | alternate_name= Roman Road |map = Northumberland UK location map.svg |map_notes= Location in [[Northumberland]] |image = Devil's Causeway heading for Hart Burn ford - geograph.org.uk - 1753411.jpg |image_notes = Devil's Causeway near [[Hartburn, Northumberland]] [[File:Flag of Northumberland.svg|120px|center]] Northumberland |length_mi= 55 |margary= 87 |time_period= [[Roman Britain]] |terminus_a=[[Bewclay]] |terminus_b=[[Berwick-upon-Tweed]]  }} The '''Devil's Causeway''' is a [[Roman roads|Roman road]] in Northumberland, in [[North East England|North East]] England. It branches off [[Dere Street]] north of [[Corbridge]] and can be traced through Northumberland for about {{convert|55|mi|0}} north to [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]].

== Description ==

The Devil's Causeway is a Roman roadway that is thought to pre-date [[Hadrian's Wall]]. It started at the [[Portgate]], slightly north of Corbridge, where it branched off the Roman [[Dere Street]] ([[A68 road]]) as it continues north into [[Redesdale]] on its way to [[Caledonia]].<ref name="newcastle">{{Cite web |last1=Henderson |first1=Tony |title=The rocky route of Devil's Causeway |url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/rocky-route-devils-causeway-4572565 |website=The Journal |accessdate=9 August 2018 |language=en |date=8 May 2006 |archive-date=10 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810140452/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/rocky-route-devils-causeway-4572565 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Devil's Causeway continued to near the mouth of the [[River Tweed]] at [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]],<ref name=neengland>{{Cite web |url=http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/Tynedale.htm |title=The Devil's Causeway |accessdate=17 December 2008 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225643/http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/Tynedale.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> where it was used to support a presumed military port.

Less than {{convert|1|mi|0}} to the east of the Portgate is the Roman [[Castra|fort]] of [[Hunnum|Onnum]], also known as Halton Chesters. It is probable that the Causeway was patrolled by a cavalry unit based there.

The fort at Halton Chesters was built across the line of the wall facing north, halfway between [[milecastles]] 21 and 22 about {{convert|0.5|mi}} east of Dere Street. The original Hadrianic fort was rather squat in outline, almost square, measuring some 440 feet north-south by 400 feet east-west, with an area of just over 4 acres (c. 134 x 122 m; 1.6 ha).

{{Stack|{{quote box|align=none|width=auto|qalign=center | quote = '''LEG VI V P F FEC'''

"The [[Legio VI Victrix|Victorious Sixth Legion]], Loyal and Faithful, made this." }}}}

A dedicatory slab from the west gate of the fort tells how the [[Legio VI Victrix|Sixth Legion]] were responsible for the initial building work but does not give the name of the original garrison. It is likely, but not proven, that the Hadrianic unit was a ''cohors quingenaria equitata'', an auxiliary force containing a nominal five-hundred men, approximately half of whom were mounted. Units of this type have been identified at many wall forts, and would have been ideally placed here, the infantry contingent to guard the Fort and Wall, and the cavalry to patrol along Dere Street and the Devil's Causeway to the north.<ref name=onnum>{{Cite web |url=https://www.roman-britain.co.uk/places/onnum/|title=Onnum Roman Fort}}</ref>

The road passes by [[Great Whittington]], then north-east to [[Hartburn, Northumberland|Hartburn]], where just to the west it crosses the Hart Burn, a tributary of the [[River Wansbeck]]. It continues to the east of [[Netherwitton]], where there was a much-discussed tower.

Devil's Causeway Tower, Netherwitton, was also known as or recorded in historical documents as Highbush Wood. King writes, "Marked on some OS maps as tower but now considered to be remains of cottage." The local [[sites and monuments record]] still records it as "site of tower". Long records it as "remains of an irregular shaped tower". This site has been described as a [[Peel tower|Pele Tower]]. The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is questionable.

After Netherwitton, the road passes to the west of [[Longhorsley]]. It continues east of north until it crosses the [[River Coquet]] east of [[Brinkburn Priory]], where it starts to head west by north, passing the western edge of [[Longframlington]]. North of Longframlington the road touches the [[A697 road]], then crosses it before passing west of [[Edlingham]]. Near the village of [[Whittingham, Northumberland|Whittingham]], there was a [[Roman fort]] at Learchild, from here a road headed west to meet [[Dere Street]] at [[Bremenium]] (High Rochester). Just north of the fort, the road re-crosses the A697 before passing [[Glanton]] and reaching [[Powburn]].

At Powburn the A697 follows the course of the Devil's Causeway to cross the [[River Till, Northumberland|River Breamish]] and stays with it for {{convert|2|mi}}. The Roman road then heads west by north, passing Newtown, Northumberland, before crossing the [[River Till, Northumberland|River Till]] just before [[Horton, Chatton|Horton]]. At Horton the road continues as a [[C roads in Great Britain|C road]] for {{convert|7|mi}} past [[Lowick, Northumberland|Lowick]].

The village of Lowick can be found in the northern part of Northumberland, 470 feet above sea level, about {{convert|9|mi}} south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and {{convert|7|mi}} north-east of Wooler. The ancient road used by the monks of Lindisfarne to Durham crosses the Devil's Causeway here – it was at this crossroads that Lowick began to develop.<ref name=nblcommunities>{{Cite web |url=http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Lowick.htm |title=Northumberland Communities |accessdate=14 March 2009}}</ref>

The road then passes through [[Berrington, Northumberland|Berrington]], before heading towards [[Tweedmouth]] and the mouth of the [[River Tweed]].

==See also== *[[Roman roads in Britain]]

==References== {{Commons category|Devil's Causeway}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Roman roads in England]] [[Category:Roman sites in Northumberland]] [[Category:History of Northumberland]] [[Category:Causeways in Europe]]