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A team of
archaeologists
is to dig
for Roman
remains -
on the
site of a
Tyneside
fire
station.
The
excavations
in
Newcastle
are
planned
around
Westgate
Fire
Station,
on the
junction
of
Westgate
Road and
Wingrove
Road,
which is
in the
Hadrian's
Wall
corridor.
The
station,
built in
1964, is
due to be
replaced
by another,
in Rye
Hill, this
summer
with the
dig due to
begin
after the
crews have
moved out.
A team
from the
archaeology
department
of the
Tyne &
Wear
museums
service
will start
excavations
to
evaluate
the site's
significance.
If
evidence
of ancient
buildings
or a
trench,
known as a
vallum,
are
discovered
it could
affect
future
development
on the
site.
Divisional
Officer
Dave Brown
of the
Tyne &
Wear Fire
Service,
said: "The
archaeologists
came a few
weeks ago,
asking to
survey the
station.
They went
away to
review
that
because a
dig might
have
affected
the
performance
of the
station.
"But
Pilgrim
Street and
the West
Road
stations
are
amalgamating
with the
new
station in
the Colby
Court area
of the
West End.
This is to
increase
operational
efficiency
and it
will open
in June.
"The staff
are very
supportive
of this -
as they
are of
anything
that
supports
the North
East. It's
exciting
for
anybody
interested
in history,
particularly
in that
era.
"Some
firefighters
walk the
length of
the wall
to raise
money for
charity."
Ged Bell,
Newcastle
City
Council's
cabinet
member for
culture,
tourism
and sport,
welcomed
the dig,
which he
called an
important
project.
He added:
"The Roman
Wall could
run either
through
the
northern
part of
the site
or in
front of
it under
the
forecourt
or road.
The course
of the
Military
Road and
vallum
also run
through
the site.
"We need
to check
for
evidence
of past
activity
on the
site,
including
other
tracks or
features
which
might be
expected
to
accompany
the
Military
Way.
"This dig
is
potentially
exciting,
as no
previous
archaeological
investigations
have been
carried
out on
this
particular
site even
though we
know it's
definitely
on the
line of
Hadrian's
Wall."
A similar
dig at
Pendower
Hall, in
Fenham,
just west
of the
fire
station,
revealed
the
Military
Way to be
in good
condition.
Last week,
a Roman
workshop,
civilian
buildings,
industrial
sites and
a cemetery
were
discovered
on 15
acres of
farmland
at Bardon
Mill,
Northumberland. |
