Haltwhistle

Site of Roman Water Mill and Aqueduct: In 1907 a 3rd century Roman water-mill was excavated at Haltwhistle Burnhead near Cawfields by E Gerald Simpson. The site is now covered, but the fact that a 3rd century watermill had been built at Haltwhistle Burnhead is now considered to be of outstanding importance. Nearby, a Roman aqueduct nearly six miles in length ran from the Saughy Rigg to Aesica (Great Chesters) fort with a gradient fall of thirty feet distributed evenly along its whole length. Sadly, there is little to see today, but you will find the course is marked on Ordnance Survey Explorer map 43 "Hadrian's Wall - Haltwhistle and Hexham". Today we can only marvel at the ingenuity employed by the Romans to bring fresh water to the forts, many of which were built on high ground, and most of which were able to house up to 1,000 men.