Blake (Black) Chesters Roman camp

The 19th century antiquarian, Brand, quotes a document of 1320, "...usque ad culturam que vocatur Blake Chestres in campo de est Chirton", and in the early 19th century it was said that a Roman station called Blake Chesters could still be seen at Chirton. Two fragments of sculpture, for a long time thought to be Roman and still extant, were found at the site in the 19th century, and it was reported that coins had been recovered from the neighbouring fields. The actual site, however, cannot be located. Possible locations are north or west of Preston Colliery, near Billy Mill farm, or in the vicinity of Camp Terrace (on early Ordnance Survey maps) on the west edge of North Shields. The area today is densely built up.