Hadrian’s Wall

Location : Gilsland / Brampton / Walton / Carlisle / Burgh by Sands / Port Carlisle / Bowness-on-Solway

 

Hadrian’s Wall is the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain. It stretches seventy-three miles from Wallsend near Newcastle, across the neck of England to Bowness-on-Solway in North West Cumbria, and stands today as a reminder of the past glories of one of the world’s greatest empires.
 
It was built in the 120’s AD and because it was not an impenetrable barrier, forts were built at seven mile intervals, milecastles (small guard posts) were built at one mile intervals, and two turrets (towers) were placed between each pair of milecastles, for observation. In front of the wall lay a ditch, except where the crags made it unneccessary. The wall crossed three rivers, and bridges were built.
 

Place to see remains of the wall and its structures within Cumbria are :

 

 
The rest of the Wall is in Northumbria, including Chesters Fort and Housesteads Fort.
 

In Carlisle’s Tullie House Museum is ‘The Roman Frontier: stories beyond Hadrian’s Wall’. This gallery is a permanent exhibition which showcases the museum’s significant Roman collections along with items on loan from the British Museum.
 
Nothing East of Banks Turret exists today. The system of milecastles and turrets continued down the Cumbrian coast for another 26 miles to Maryport, though no wall was built here. There are excellent remains of a mileforlet at Crosscanonby, just north of Maryport.
Maryport’s Senhouse Roman Museum houses a good selection of local Roman artifacts.
 
On Saturday 13 March 2010 an event took place – Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall, in which Hadrian’s Wall was a spectacular line of light from coast to coast. It followed the route of the 84 mile long Hadrian’s Wall and had around 500 individual points of light, placed at 250 metre intervals.
 
 
Gallery of aerial photos by Simon Ledingham following the wall from Chesters Fort to banks East Turret :
 
See also :

• Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall

 
Related Links :

• Walking the Hadrian’s Wall Path – with the BBC Radio Cumbria team
• Wikipedia – Hadrian’s wall

 
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