In the 4th century AD, Count Theodosius set up signal stations on the North Yorkshire coast to warn of Saxon raids. Flamborough Head is also believed to have had one – probably on Beacon Hill, now a gravel quarry, from where Filey, Scarborough Castle and the Whitby promontory can be seen. A fort at Bridlington would have made a centre of operations for these. Another suggestion has been a line of signal stations stretching south round Bridlington Bay. This counterpart to the northern chain would have guarded a huge accessible anchorage from barbarian piracy.