▁probably ▁comes ▁from ▁ ▁a ▁local ▁British ▁name ▁* E p ia kon ▁" the ▁property , ▁or ▁estate ▁of ▁E pios ", ▁Latin ised ▁as ▁E pp ius ; ▁hence ▁E pp ius ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁local ▁leader ▁or ▁ch ie ft ain ▁of ▁the ▁Brig antes ▁tribe . ▁The ▁name ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁derivative ▁of ▁the ▁P - C elt ic ▁e pos ▁" hor se ". ▁ ▁Location ▁ ▁Wh itle y ▁Castle ▁is ▁about ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level ▁in ▁the ▁P enn ine ▁hills ▁on ▁the ▁southern ▁edge ▁of ▁North umber land ▁near ▁its ▁border ▁with ▁C umb ria . ▁It ▁lies ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁A 6 8 9 ▁road ▁beside ▁the ▁P enn ine ▁Way ▁long - distance ▁foot path . ▁During ▁the ▁Roman ▁era , ▁Ep iac um ▁was ▁situated ▁about ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁Had rian ' s ▁Wall ▁and ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁road ▁which ▁ran ▁between ▁L ug u val ium ▁( Car lis le ) ▁in ▁the ▁north west ▁and ▁E bor ac um ▁( Y ork ) ▁in ▁the ▁sout heast . ▁The ▁Ma iden ▁Way ▁road ▁connected ▁Wh itle y ▁Castle ▁to ▁the ▁fort ▁of ▁Mag na e ▁( Car vor an ) ▁on ▁Had rian ' s ▁Wall ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁and ▁the ▁fort ▁of ▁Bra v onia c um ▁( K irk by ▁Th ore ) ▁on ▁the ▁Carl is le - Y ork ▁road ▁to ▁the ▁south . ▁ ▁Wh itle y ▁Castle