BEWCASTLE (Fanum Cocidi)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History:

Fanum Cocidi, or 'temple of Cocidius' is one of several advance forts that lie out to the north of the wall, along with Netherby, Birrens, High Rochester and Risingham. Cocidius was a Germanic war god that the Romans associated with Mars and no less than six altars to this deity have been found at Bewcastle, confirming the validity of its name. Like many of the northern frontier forts, Bewcastle was constructed in the Hadrianic period as part of the wall system, though only in turf and timber. During the Antonine expansion, the fort was rebuilt in stone and then, during the reign of Septimius Severus and his campaigns in Northern Britain, there was more work undertaken. The one striking feature of Bewcastle, however, above all other British forts is its shape. Bewcastle is unique. Forts in Britain, as elsewhere, were universally built on the traditional 'playing card' shape, with the dimesions changing occasionally to almost square. Bewcastle appears to have been built to take advantage of the natural plateau and is therefore uniquely hexagonal.

Occupation:

Equally odd in Bewcastle, there is evidence for all three resident British Legions claiming to have constructed the fort (2nd Augusta, 6th Victrix and 20th Valeria Victrix). Of the occupying units very little is known. The only named unit is known only from one inscription, and that is the 1st Cohort of Dacians. Since this unit was based in Birdoswald from the begining of the third century throughout the Roman period, we can place them at Bewcastle in the 2nd century and they may have constituted the original Hadrianic garrison.

Remains and Visit:

While there are no buildings or defences at Bewcastle laid bare for viewing, the site is well worth a visit nonetheless. The slopes and bumps of the ramparts are clearly visible in many places and random blocks of stone visible in the slopes are clearly of Roman origin, having slid from their original site. The unusual hexagonal ramparts are clearly defined and impressive to walk around. In one corner of the fort stands a medieval castle constructed largely of stone from the Roman fort.

Images:

Ramparts	Ramparts	Ramparts	Castle