GREAT CHESTERS (Aesica)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History:

Aesica is a small fort by comparrison with many of the wall forts and appears, like Carrawburgh, to have been an afterthought. The remains of a milecastle lie beneath a corner of the fort, clear evidence of a change of plan. Built to guard the Caw Gap to the east, the defensive ditches around Aesica are unusual, conforming to terrain and the position of the Vallum which was already in place before the fort's construction began. In essence, four ditches protect the western approach, but only one ditch the other two sides. The west gate of the fort appears to have been gradually narrowed throughout the fort's life until it was eventually sealed shut completely. On the whole, Aesica's history other than its original construction, conforms with that of the other wall forts, a vicus growing outside the fort and thriving before the whole site falls to decay and ruin at the end of Roman occupation.

Occupation:

The Twentieth Legion constructed the wall fort at Aesica, giving way to the first garrison in the Hadrianic period of the 6th Cohort of Nervii, an infantry cohort of 500 men. This cohort were posted in the Antonine Period at Rough Castle in Scotland, leaving the fort with the replacement unit, the 6th Cohort of Raeti, another 500-strong infantry unit. Some suggestions have been made that the 1st Cohort of Pannonians were one of the earlier garrisons at Aesica, though the only evidence is a tombstone in a nearby milecastle reused as a hearth. In the early 3rd Century (certainly at the time of Alexander Severus in 222), the garrison consisted of the 2nd Cohort of Asturians, again 500 strong, but a mixed unit of cavalry and infantry. In the late third century, an irregular vexillation of Gaesati and Raeti appear to have garrisoned the fort, attested on an inscription, which remains the only evidence for this unit in Britain, though they may be connected in some way with the earlier Raetian garrison. The last unit, attested in the Notitia Dignitatum, is the 1st Cohort of Asturians, at the end of the 4th century.

Remains and Visit:

The fort of Aesica remains enigmatic. Of all the Roman Sites in Britain it fills me with the most dismay. There are considerable stone remains to be seen there and almost the whole fort has been laid open by excavation at some point, and yet now much of it is covered once more and the remains that are visible are in disrepair and poorly maintained. The site is free, often with sheep wandering across it and the farm of Great Chesters itself lies over a corner of the fort. Among the visible remains gradually falling into ruins are the west wall (almost the entire wall circuit can be followed), the south and west gates, the strongroom of the headquarters building and the marks that clearly show the arrangement of a set of barrack blocks in the southwest corner. Aesica is beautiful, peaceful and largely unknown, but needs attention if it is to survive for future generations. I have noticed a decline in the remains in just a decade or so.

* UPDATE * - The owner of Great Chesters farm has signed up for a Government scheme to preserve and consolidate the remains of Aesica. See the Archaeology Page for more details.

Images:

South Rampart	South Gate	An altar in the south gate	Vault of the strongroom	Northwest angle tower
West wall	West gate	Southwest angle tower	Barrack blocks