What is "stanegate"

The Stanegate, or "stone road" ( Old English), was an important Roman road built in what is now northern England. It linked two forts that guarded important river crossings; Corstopitum ( Corbridge) in the east, situated on Dere Street, and Luguvalium ( Carlisle) in the west. The Stanegate ran through the natural gap formed by the valleys of the Tyne and Irthing. It predated Hadrian's Wall by several decades; the Wall would later follow a similar route, slightly to the north.

The Stanegate differed from most other Roman roads in that it often followed the easiest gradients, and so tended to weave around, whereas typical Roman roads follow a straight path, even if this sometimes involves having punishing gradients to climb.