Condercum

The fort was built between 122 and 124 AD by the Legion Legio II Augusta. The fort had two granaries built by a detachment from the British Fleet, likely from nearby Arbeia fort, probably because the legionaries responsible for construction of the fort had been called away. The Vallum was built shortly after 130 to the south of the fort to protect the wall from attack from this side, and made a detour around the fort. The vallum could only be crossed at the forts and hence at Benwell a causeway and a gate provided this access about south of the fort's southern gate. Additional building or repair work in the late-2nd century was done by Legion Legio XX Valeria Victrix based at Chester.

The fort measured 570 ft from north to south by 400 ft east to west and the defences enclosed an area of just over 5 acre. As a cavalry fort built partially to the north of the wall, it had three gates on this side to allow quick access. There were two side gates, facing east and west, through which the Roman military road, running along the south side of Wall, passed. There was also a south-facing gate that led to a stone causeway crossing the vallum ditch, wide and deep, with mounds either side. The causeway, still visible today, had a large monumental non-military gateway located halfway across the vallum and with some of the best dressed stone on Hadrian's Wall. The fort contained a…