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Northumberland is England's northernmost county and
home to one of the greatest engineering feats of the ancient
world - Hadrian's Wall. Stretching 73 miles from coast
to coast, it represents the furthermost reaches of the Roman
Empire and the boundary between Scotland and England.
What happened here?
The wall was built by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century
AD. It took six years to build, beginning in 122AD, when the
Emperor himself came to England to initiate the project. Hadrian's
intention was to control the movement of people over the border
between savage Scotland and more civilised England, and control
and tax trade over this clearly defined frontier. Hadrian's
Wall was eventually abandoned in 383AD but even today, nearly
2000 years later, the boundary between Scotland and England
hasn't really changed that much.
The wall was constructed out of stone and turf blocks, and
was originally 15ft high with 6ft battlements on top. Every
Roman mile (1620 yards) there was a gateway, guarded by a
mile castle and observation posts.
In 1745, after the Jacobite uprising, parts of the wall were
destroyed so that the stone could be used to pave a new road,
allowing troops to move more quickly across the country. Nowadays,
there are a number of well-preserved sections of the wall
in picturesque locations, especially in the centre of the
country around Housesteads. Hadrian's Wall is a World
Heritage Site and the only people who carry out regular patrols
these days are enthusiastic tour guides, Roman re-enactment
groups, and visitors intent on experiencing English history
at its most remote and scenic.
What's there to see and do?
- Although you can visit sections of the wall on a day trip,
or take a series of day hikes to the best preserved ruins,
it is also possible to walk the length of Hadrian's Wall,
from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway.
A new National Trail is under development.
- There are a number of interesting museums close to principal
Roman sites such as Corbridge, Chester, Housesteads and
the Roman Army Museum near Walltown. There are models
and reconstructions of Roman settlements on display, and the
excavated remains of daily life in the Roman Empire. |
