Vindobala Vindobala ( Brytonnic Celtic : windo - " fair , white " , bala " ? " ) was a Roman fort at the modern - day hamlet of Rudchester , Northumberland . It was the fourth fort on Hadrian ' s Wall , after Segedunum ( Wallsend ) , Pons Aelius ( Newcastle ) and Condercum . It was situated about to the west of Condercum . The name Vindobala means “ White Strength ” . The site of the fort is bisected by the B6318 Military Road , which runs along the route of the wall at that point . Description . The fort guards the valley of the March Burn to the west , an ancient route leading to the south towards the Tyne ford at Newburn . To the east the ground drops away to the Rudchester Burn . The fort is oblong , measuring north to south by east to west , and covers about . There were four main gates with double portals and two smaller , single - portal gates . There was one main gate on the north wall of the fort , and the east and west main gates opened on the north side of the Roman Wall . This left a single main gate on the south wall of the fort , and two smaller gates which probably gave access to a military way running along the south side of the Wall . There were towers at each corner of the fort , and also on either side of the main gates . The Vallum passed about south of the fort , and there was a vicus south and south west of the fort . South of the fort , on the brow of a hill , is a cistern , twelve feet long , four and a half feet broad and two feet deep . It was popularly known as the “ Giant ’ s Grave ” . Now there is little to be seen on the surface , apart from mounds to the south of the Military Road marking the west and south ramparts . During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries stones were systematically removed from the site for local agricultural buildings , and also for the building of the Military Road . Garrison . The fort was garrisoned in the fourth century by the First Cohort of Frisiavones . These were troops recruited from a coastal tribe of Lower Germany . It is thought that the fort was built for a cohort , 500 strong and part - mounted . Excavations . In 1760 a life - size statue of Hercules was found at the site . Excavations of the site were carried out in 1924 and 1962 . Two of the main gateways were excavated , as well as a large granary and part of the headquarters . In addition , a hypocaust belonging to the Commandant ’ s house was discovered . Mithraeum . In 1844 , five altars , dedicated to Mithras , were discovered near the site , now known as the Rudchester Mithraeum . It is believed that these come from a temple to Mithras , situated to the south east of the fort . It appears that this was built in the third century and was deliberately destroyed in the fourth century . The building was long and wide with a narthex , or vestibule , attached to the front . Curtain Wall . In 1924 , an excavation took place on the wall line 1924 at a point west of the fort . The north face was erected on a foundation course of coarse white stones . The first course was topped by an elaborately moulded plinth ( unknown elsewhere ) . It has been speculated that this was the location of a special inscription stone marking work on the wall .