Maglona
Maglona, which is the Roman name for the Old Carlisle fort, is located just south of Wigton off the A595 Carlisle to Cockermouth road in the Lake District. Between the ramparts, which is a defensive wall consisting of a low earthen embankment topped by a parapet or palisade, this fort measures approximately 935 feet from east to west by 610 feet transversely. This would given an internal occupation area of approximately 13 acres.
Aerial photographs taken in the late 1940’s by Prof. J K St Joseph show the arrangements of the gateways and internal buildings, and they also prove that the fort faced due east. Apparently this fort was built to house a squadron of auxiliary cavalry of approximately 500 troopers and therefore had to be bigger than a fort which would house the equivalent number of infantry. Being the auxiliary elite, the soldiers demanded more spacious and luxurious accommodation than their foot slogging counterparts.
Unfortunately, although the fort ditches and the mound covering the stone walls and earth rampart is well preserved on the west and west part of the south sides, there is no stonework visible. Apparently these stones were used during the 18th and 19th centuries to rebuild Wigton.
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