Aballava

The principia of the fort at Aballava lies under the church in the village of Burgh-by-Sands. This is the first fort to be found in the village itself and was excavated by Collingwood in 1922. It post dates the building of the vallum and may even date from as late as Severus’ campaigns in 212/3. The fort was built to accommodate a cavalry unit and was probably around 5 acres in size. Around 100 yards to the east of the present day church was a building that was presumably the bath house.

In total 3 forts have been found at Aballava. The second fort to be discovered was found by the use of aerial photography in 1976 and excavated by Daniels 13 years later. This fort may date to AD 90-130 and could either be part of an extended Stanegate system, or solely part of the Hadrian’s Wall system. The 3 rd fort was discovered, again by aerial photography in 1977. This fort may date to the first half of the second century.

The first unit to be stationed at Aballava for which we have evidence is the Cohors I Nervana Germanorum Milliaria Equitata in the 3 rd century. An as yet unknown Cohort Quingenaria Equitata probably preceded them in the second century. By 241 a unit, Cuneus Frisionum Aballavesium was at the fort and the Numerus Maurorum Aurelianorum was at the fort in 253-8. Numerus Maurorum Aurelianorum was to stay at Aballava for the rest of the Roman occupation.

In the village of Burgh by Sands the stone wall was built immediately above its turf predecessor which had been demolished to form an earth bank. The milecastle under the west of the village was built in 2 stages with the north side (which would later form part of the wall) completed first.

Discussion:

Aballava may predate Hadrian’s Wall and be part of an extension to the Stanegate system to Kirkbride. It is more likely that the road between them was part of a normal communications route with Kirkbride a fort to control part of the region north of the Lake District, rather than as part of an unnecessary extension to the Stanegate, and Aballava is a later addition to Hadrian’s Wall. Once Aballava was built, a road was then constructed to Kirkbride. On this website I have listed Aballava as part of the Stanegate only to allow for the possibility; not as any definite proof or belief.

Men and Units at Aballava

Sources:

Birley E. Research on Hadrian’s Wall, 1961

Breeze and Dobson, Hadrian’s Wall, 2000

The Roman Inscriptions of Britain, Collingwood and Wright,

Recent Excavations on Hadrian’s Wall at Burgh by Sands, Austen P., 1994