HADRIAN'S WALL

The reconstructed west gate at Arbeia, South Shields. It gives

a good impression of how the gates of Wall forts might have appeared

(I’ve cheated though – the Wall has been digitally extended here)

By Guy de la Bédoyère

This is based on work done for my Tempus Guide to Hadrian's Wall

Wall sources summarises the historical and literary evidence for the Wall.

Click on Tour for a quick look at some places and pictures. 

LEFT: Hadrian on a sestertius struck 129-138 at Rome

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1. Hadrian comes to Britain

Hadrian came to Britain in or around the year 122, as part of a long-term tour of the provinces of the Roman Empire. Britain's northern frontier was still unsettled, even though the conquest had begun nearly 80 years before. Hadrian followed a policy of consolidating the frontiers - he had given up Roman expansion.

2. The Wall is ordered

All we know from Roman historians is a single line written by Hadrian's fourth-century biographer who says, '[Hadrian] reformed many things, and, the first to do so, erected a wall over a length of 80 miles which was to force apart the Romans and barbarians.'

Despite this evidence, it wasn't until the early nineteenth century that finds of inscriptions confirmed the wall that runs between Wallsend in the outskirts of Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway was this very wall. During Roman times it was repeatedly repaired and rebuilt so that after the Roman period locals came to believe it had been built by later emperors.

An awful lot of work has been done on the Wall. What has emerged is a fascinating picture of changes of plan.

3. The First Plan

The Wall was begun as a 10-foot wide stone wall of unknown height, equipped with a milecastle (a fortified gateway) every mile (or so) and a pair of turrets in between. It was begun roughly where central Newcastle-upon-Tyne is now. Working parties made up from legionaries of the II Augusta (from Caerleon), the VI Victrix (from York), and the XX Valeria Victrix (from Chester) did the job.

The Wall, at this stage, seems only to have been designed to be in stone as far west as the Irthing river. From there to the west it was to be built in turf, the NORMAL Roman method for building frontiers.

Before more than a couple of years had elapsed the plans started to change.

4. The Second Plan

a. The Wall was reduced in thickness. We know this because the new 8-foot Wall picked up from where the builders had reached with the 10-foot version, and it was built on top of the prepared 10-foot foundation. Bits not even begun were built to the new narrow specification. The Wall was extended in the east from Newcastle out to Wallsend.

b. Forts were added to the Wall. We know this because some sections of Wall including brand-new turrets were demolished and the fort placed on top. This happened at Housesteads fort for example. Forts were built all the way along, every few miles.

c. The Vallum was added. This was a colossal ditch and mound system built to the south of the Wall. It seems to have been built the whole way, regardless of the terrain. The northern ditch, by contrast, was often omitted where it was made unnecessary by cliffs. The Vallum must, therefore, have had a great purpose. Perhaps it was to contain the whole Wall zone as a corridor across Britain. It skirts round the forts, showing it was later than them, except at Carrawburgh which lies over the infilled Vallum and demonstrates that in this case Carrawburgh was a fort built after the Vallum.

d. Finally, the turf wall in the west was replaced in stone. No-one is quite certain when this occurred, but it may well have been during Hadrian's reign.

e. Aftermath: the Wall may never have really been finished. No part of it has stood intact since antiquity so no-one knows how high it was supposed to be and whether it had crenellations and a walkway. Theories abound but the evidence does not exist to resolve them. We will never know.

The garrison

The Wall was built by citizen legionaries, but garrisoned by auxiliaries - troops recruited from the provinces who earned their own citizenship by serving for 25 years. These men originally came from places like Dacia, or Gaul and their unit names record the fact. However, we now know that regardless of the unit’s ethnic name, the individual soldiers could have come from almost anywhere. In fact, some ethnic names were literally applied to auxiliary units just because they sounded good (the historian Dio Cassius tells us that). In any case, over time these troops married (or at least cohabited) with local women as well. We don't know exactly what happened but it's probable that after a few generations their descendants only knew the Wall forts as their homes.

The forts were either all infantry, all cavalry, or a mixture. The biggest were around 1000-men in strength. Although the units were garrisoned in individual forts they moved about in detachments, making it impossible to paint a picture of a typical day. Sometimes they were withdrawn altogether to serve abroad, and might return within months or not for years – if at all. In the fourth century many sided with imperial usurpers like Magnus Maximus (383-8) or Constantine III (407-11), who used British armies to support their campaigns on the continent. By the end, most of the forts were semi-derelict and their garrisons left unpaid. We don’t know what happened but evidence from places like Birdoswald suggests the remaining soldiers in a fort might have been led by one of their number as a local chieftain or warlord.

LEFT: Map of the Wall, but note that North is to the left! 

VISITING HADRIAN'S WALL

The following list is taken from my book Hadrian's Wall. History and Guide, published by Tempus at £9-99 (ISBN 07524 1407 0. I hope you find it useful. References below to Map 3, Map 4 and so on are to maps in the book.

SOUTH SHIELDS (Arbeia)

** Visible remains**: fort walls, internal buildings, and the reconstructed west gate (see top of this page), the reconstructed commandant’s house (left), and the reconstructed barracks as well as a museum. South Shields was NOT a Wall fort, but it was an essential component in the Wall system, serving as a defended port, supply base, as well as possibly a regional headquarters. A lot of money has been poured into South Shields and Wallsend (below), making these two of the most interesting and exciting Roman sites to visit in Britain today. Open all year round. Baring Street, South Shields NE33 2BB. A-Z Map p. 35 E5, OS Ref: NZ 365679. Telephone: 0191 454 4093 – it’s only a short drive to the Tyne Tunnel to head north and then west for…

WALLSEND (Segedunum)

**Visible remains**: dependent on current state of excavations and consolidation, probably fort gates, headquarters building, and the Wall curtain (and replica stretch). There's also a spiffing reconstructed bathhouse based on the surviving remains at Chesters but mirror-reversed to fit the site here. Entrance charge. Parking on south side of Buddle Street by the spanking new Segedunum Museum with its replica fort headquarters building within, or a 200m walk south from Wallsend Metro Station down Station Road, or from the bus station down Carville Road. A-Z map Site p. 47 D4, Metro D3. OS Ref. NZ 300660 (Sheet 88 1:50 000 Series). Telephone 0191 236 9347.

Left: the Wallsend baths reconstruction here mirror-reversed and overlaid on the land around Chesters fort, showing what Chesters bathhouse might once have looked like.

NEWCASTLE (Pons Aelius)

**Visible remains**: plans of some internal buildings of the fort marked with modern stonework in the grounds of the Norman castle. Accessible on foot from Metro Central Station - head east down Neville Street into Westgate Road where it meets St Nicholas Street. A-Z map Site p. 143 D5, Metro C5. OS Ref. NZ 300660 (Sheet 88 1:50 000 Series).

BENWELL (Condercum)

**Visible remains**: temple and Vallum (Map 2). English Heritage. Free. Temple in Broomridge Avenue via Weidner Road off West Road (A186, but also labelled A6115 in some older maps), and Vallum in Denhill Park (next turning). The Metro does not reach out here. A-Z Map p. 58: temple C2, Vallum B1. OS Ref. NZ 215646 (Sheet 88 1: 50 000 Series).

Heddon-on-the-Wall

**Visible remains**: stretch of Wall. English Heritage. Free. Parking on B6528 at Heddon. A-Z Map p. 36 A/B2. OS Ref. NZ 138668 (Sheet 88 1: 50 000 Series).

Down Hill Vallum

The Vallum is visible here running like a switchback over Down Hill. The road in the foreground lies on top of the Wall. OS Ref. NZ 008685

Planetrees

**Visible remains**: 15m section of Wall (Map 3). English Heritage (no sign on road). Free. Access south of the B6318 just west of Planetrees. OS Ref. NY 928696.

Brunton Turret and Wall

**Visible remains**: 20m stretch of Wall and turret (26b) (Map 3). English Heritage. Free. Turn left at cross-roads on the A6079. Park in lay-by on main road. OS Ref. NY 922698 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).

Chesters Bridge abutment

**Visible remains**: Roman bridge abutment (Map 3). English Heritage. Free. Difficult parking on A6079 just before the single-carriageway modern bridge. OS Ref. NY 915701 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).

CHESTERS (Cilurnum)

**Visible remains**: fort and bath-house (see the pic under Wallsend above). (Map 3). English Heritage. Entrance fee. Open all year round (9.30-6.00 1 April-31 October; 10.00-4.00 in winter). Tel: 01434-681379. Head west on the B6318 from Chollerford just beyond the Tyne crossing, and turn left at the signpost to Chesters shortly afterwards. OS Ref. NY 912705 for the entrance (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).  

Limestone Corner

**Visible remains**: unfinished ditch 2.5 miles (4km) west of Chesters (Map 4). Park by field-gate on north side of B6318. OS Ref. NY 875715 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).

CARRAWBURGH (Brocolitia)

**Visible remains**: fort platform (privately-owned) and Temple of Mithras (Map 4). English Heritage. Free. Parking on south side of B6318 east of the fort platform. OS Ref. NY 859712 (Sheet 88 1:50 000 Series).

Sewingshields Crags

**Visible remains**: turrets 33b and 34a, milecastle 35, and turret 35a. English Heritage. Free. OS Ref. NY 822705 (Coesike turret, 33b) and 805702 (Sewingshields milecastle, 35) (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).

HOUSESTEADS (Vercovicium)

**Visible remains**: fort, Wall and walk to milecastle 37 (see below) (Map 5). English Heritage. Entrance fee (free to National Trust members). Open all year round. (10.00-6.00 1 April-31 October; 10.00-4.00 in winter). Tel: 01434-344363. Access from the B6318 into car-park beside main road. Access to the fort is by foot up a steep path and is difficult for disabled visitors. OS Ref. NY 790687 (fort), 794684 car-park (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Housesteads, the south-east corner with fort latrine 

Milecastle 37 (Housesteads West)

**Visible remains**: milecastle (37) (Map 5). Free. OS Ref. NY 785687 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

The picture shows the magnificent (but pointless - it leads to a sheer drop) north gate. In the foreground is a barrack for the milecastle garrison.

Castle Nick milecastle

**Visible remains**: milecastle (39, 'Castle Nick') and Wall (Map 5). Free. OS Ref. NY 761677 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Picture to right shows the Wall from the south. The milecastle sits in the lefthand dip.

The Wall at Thorny Doors where it stands to 14 courses in height. Cawfields milecastle (below) is just to the west.

Cawfields milecastle

**Visible remains**: milecastle (42) and Wall (Map 6). English Heritage. Free. Parking beside reservoir in old quarry. Access from B6318 via minor road, signposted Cawfields. OS Ref. NY 716667 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

GREATCHESTERS (Aesica)

**Visible remains**: ramparts, and gates (Map 6). Private, footpath only through the middle of the fort. Best reached on foot from Cawfields milecastle car-park 700m to the east. OS Ref. NY 704668 (Sheet 86 or 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Picture shows the south gate. An altar (uninscribed) sits in the remains of the gate's east tower.

CARVORAN ROMAN ARMY MUSEUM

Museum (Vindolanda Trust) (Map 7). Open weekends from February to November, and all week March to October (closed December and January). Opens at 10.00 but late afternoon closing times vary, depending on the month. Entrance fee (with reduction if a joint ticket for Vindolanda entry is purchased). Tel: 016977-47485. Access from minor road leading north from B6318 (signposted). OS Ref. NY 667658 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000).

Walltown Crags

**Visible remains**: Wall and turrets (Map 7). English Heritage. Free. Access from minor road on B6318 leading to Carvoran Roman Army Museum (as above). OS Ref. NY 672662 to 683668 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Poltross Burn

**Visible remains**: milecastle (48) and curtain (Map 8). English Heritage. Free. Access by footpath (200m) from car-park at Gilsland immediately west of the railway bridge. Follow signposts to Poltross Burn by turning sharp left immediately before railway bridge, then immediately right into Station Hotel car-park. OS Ref. NY 634662 (Sheet 86 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

The Wall at Gilsland Vicarage (accessible from Poltross Burn - see above)

Willowford

**Visible remains**: Wall, turrets (48a and b), bridge abutment (Map 8). Access from footpath on minor road south-west from Gilsland at OS Ref. NY 631663. Admission fee at Willowford Farm for the bridge, otherwise English Heritage and free, any time. Park in lay-by on south side of road. Distance from here to bridge abutment is about 0.6 mile (1km). OS Ref. NY 662665 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

BIRDOSWALD (Banna)

**Visible remains**: fort, Wall, milecastle (49, Harrow's Scar) (Map 8). English Heritage. Entrance fee. Open 1 April to 31 October only, 10.00-5.30 (winter access to fort remains only). Tel: 01697-747602. Access on foot from the car-park on a minor road signposted south from the B6318 1.2 miles (2km) west of Gilsland. OS Ref. NY 615663 (Sheet 86 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Picture shows Birdoswald's east gate. Each entrance was capped with an arch, supporting a walkway between the two gate towers.

East from Birdoswald to Harrow's Scar

**Visible remains**: Wall, with centurial and phallus stones in situ (Map 8). Milecastle (49, Harrow's Scar). English Heritage. Free. OS Ref. NY 620664 (milecastle) (Sheet 86 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

Pike Hill Signal Tower

**Visible remains**: corner of pre-Wall observation tower. Access from Banks East turret lay-by (see below). English Heritage. Free. OS Ref. NY 577648 (Sheet 86 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 545 1:25 000 Series).

Banks East Turret

**Visible remains**: turret (52a) and Wall. Footpath to Pike Hill tower. English Heritage. Free. Anytime. Park on lay-by on south side of the road. OS Ref. NY 575647 (Sheet 86 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 545 1:25 000 Series).

STANWIX (Petriana)

**Visible remains**: three chamfered stones from the base of the fort wall are all that remains of the biggest fort on Hadrian's Wall. Follow the A7 north from Carlisle across the Eden through Stanwix past the Cumbria Park Hotel, and turn right up Mulcaster Court. The pitiful remnants are in the hotel car-park in a little brick enclosure. OS Ref. NY 401571

CARLISLE (Luguvalium)

Museum at Carlisle Public Library and Art Gallery in Tullie House, Castle Street. Open all year round 10.00-5.00 (Monday to Saturday), 12.00-5.00 (Sunday). Entrance fee (half-price between 10.00 and 11.00, and free to members of the National Arts Collection Fund). Tel: 01228-34781 (museum) and 512444 (Tourist Information Centre). In central Carlisle between the castle and cathedral in a square formed by Annetwell Street, Castle Street, Paternoster Row and Abbey Street. Best reached by foot from one of the car-parks by the A595 as much of central Carlisle is pedestrianized.

CORBRIDGE (Coria or Coriosopitum)

**Visible remains**: town and military base. English Heritage. Entrance fee. Open all year round (10.00-6.00 1 April-31 October; 10.00-4.00 in winter; closed 1.00-2.00 in winter). Tel: 01434-632349. Access south from the A69 heading west out of Newcastle or by a short detour from the B6318 on the line of the Wall 2.5 miles (4km) to the north at Port Gate, just west of the site of the fort at Haltonchesters. Access, signposted, from minor road leading west from Corbridge's centre. OS Ref. NY 982648 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series).

Picture shows the column bases of the granary portico. Behind them is the Roman road, raised up through centuries of resurfacing in the Roman period.

VINDOLANDA (Chesterholm - the site is always known by its Roman name)

**Visible remains**: fort, vicus, reconstructed stone Wall and Turf Wall (Map 5). Museum. Vindolanda Trust. Entrance fee (10% discount for English Heritage members). Site open all year from 10.00 but closes between 4 and 6.30 depending on the month. In winter the museum is normally closed. Tel: 01434-344277. Access from Twice Brewed crossroads on the B6318 2.6 miles (4km) west of Housesteads car-park. Vindolanda is signposted to the left (south). Pass the picnic park on the right and carry on for about 0.5 mile (0.8km) to a left turn signposted to Vindolanda which lies 1 mile (1.6km) east of here. OS Ref. NY 770664 (Sheet 87 1:50 000 Series; Sheet 546 1:25 000 Series).

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