drain which passes through the 'reducing wall,'[1] near this point had been carried through the building. The method of foundation, and the depth at which it lies, associate this small structure with the early walls lying below the Principia and Block XIV in the Praetentura. All probably belong to the same period. Its size suggests a single hut in a barrack line. But it was unfortunately discovered towards the close of our work in this area, and at a time when it was impossible to ascertain whether any similar huts lay beneath the adjoining buildings.
The Stables
To the north of Block XVIII lay a building covering a space of 280 feet by 40 feet, and therefore exceeding in length anything else in the fort. Like most of the other buildings it was founded on cobbles, and it had walls of sandstone two and a half feet thick. The outline of the whole was uncovered, and zigzag trenches were carried from end to end of the building. These latter failed to bring to light any signs of partitions or cross walls. Near the north end, however, on the east side of the building, was the foundation of a wall forty feet long, which had probably belonged to some earlier building. Pottery was almost entirely absent, and of the few metal relics discovered a small bronze key was the most noteworthy. Immediately to the west of Block XIX there was traced a trench running parallel to it, and extending the whole length of the wall. It appeared to have been employed for a foundation, though all traces of stonework had disappeared. Possibly it had belonged to a second block of equal size. At Gellygaer, which in the opinion of some scholars has been planned for the occupation of a cohors quingenaria equitata, we have a long building (Block IX) occupying a space of about 147 feet by 40 feet, and divided longitudinally by a single partition wall. This was probably used as a stable for the horses of the cohort.[2] The building at Newstead, covering nearly double the area of that at Gellygaer, is practically the same width, and may well have been employed for the same purpose.
Barracks in the Retentura
To the south of the road, in the space which lay between Blocks XVII and XVIII and the rampart, was a series of barrack blocks. The remains were very scanty, often not more than a single stone of the footing of the walls being left. The walls appear to have been about two feet in thickness. The
2 Professor Fabricius, in discussing the plan of Gellygaer, allocates this building to the cavalry: Römisch-germanisches Korrespondenzblatt, 1908, p. 34. See also the opinion expressed by Professor Ritterling, Kastell Wiesbaden, p. 40, footnote.
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