Early warning
It was to give early warning of these invaders that the signal stations were built at Huntcliffe near Saltburn; Goldsborough; Ravenscar; Scarborough and Filey. There may also have been a station at Whitby but as yet no concrete evidence has been discovered. Built to a similar plan the stations consisted of a square stone tower surrounded by a stout stone wall which in turn was surrounded with earthworks. Communication with the Roman fleet or inland military units was by means of beacons or smoke signals.

Vulnerable locations
Coastal erosion has affected all the sites with the exception of Goldsborough which is situated on rising ground a short distance from the cliff edge, only earthworks remain. The best remains to visit are those within the castle walls at Scarborough where both earthworks and some stone walling remain.

Macabre remains
As pressure from the east increased the Romans gradually withdrew and by the early years of the fifth century they were gone. Excavations at the Goldsborough site revealed some macabre remains. The skeleton of a large dog, its jaws at the throat of a mans’ skeleton were found together with the skeleton of another man, face down and bearing sword cuts. At Huntcliffe a pile of human remains, many with detached skulls, was discovered in the corner of the courtyard. Given that several of these skeletons were of women and older men it is assumed that these were local people who had taken over the site after the Romans had left.