Lancaster Roman Fort, also known as Wery Wall, Galacum or Calunium, is the modern name given to ruined former Roman fort atop Castle Hill in Lancaster in North West England. The first castra was founded within the Roman province of Britannia. The fort's name is not known. A Roman milestone found four miles outside Lancaster, with an inscription ending L MP IIII, meaning "from L— 4 miles", suggests that it began with that letter. However in 1998 David Shotter suggested that Galacum, a name that has been associated with the fort at Over Burrow, would be more appropriately applied to Lancaster. The fort is thought to be the origin of the name Lancaster. It appears in the Domesday Book as Loncastre, where "Lon" refers to the River Lune, with the Old English (borrowed from the Latin ) for "fort". History The first fort at Lancaster was built out of timber, probably around 80 AD, although Roman coins have been found in Lancaster dating back to the early 60s. It was likely built on a castle hill to command a crossing over the River Lune. The fort had rectangular plan with rounded corners, the rampart was constructed from clay and turf with two V-shaped ditches. The main gate was on its eastern side, aligned with Church Street, along which a substantial extramural settlement (vicus) developed. The north wall was about long and ran east-west a short distance north of the Old Vicarage, the south side has still to be ascertained (presumed under Lancaster Castle). Later in the century the northern defences were extended by , before it seems to have been abandoned for a period. For a time during this phase it might have been garrisoned by a cavalry unit called the ala Augusta. The fort was reoccupied again during the 2nd century and it was rebuilt in stone around 102 AD, with an almost thick revetment wall built in front of the clay-and-turf rampart. The fort's north gate may be located a little way east of Vicarage Lane, from which the road led to the crossing over the river. Earthworks visible at Vicarage Field are thought to be remains of the northwest corner. Little is known about the following two centuries. There seems to have been periods of abandonment during the mid-second century and again around the start of the third. An inscription has been found recording re-building work on