Hadrian's Wall

The ruins of Hadrian's Wall form the most spectacular Roman remains in Britain. The mighty wall ran across the whole width of Britain, from Wallsend (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west.. The wall was originally 15feet high with 6 foot battlements on top of that. It was begun in about 120 A.D. on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian, and was manned until it was abandoned in 383

The wall snakes across the country, always commanding the high ground. Every Roman mile there was a milecastle (a small fort) and in between each pair of mile castles were 2 watch towers Messages could be flashed up and down the length of the wall very quickly if there was an attack. Any invaders from the north had first to cross open ground, then a ditch 27fr wide and 9 feet deep, before they got to the wall

After the 1745 Jacobite uprising, sections of the wall were destroyed in order to use the stone for a military road which would allow George's troops to move quickly from east to west. Today the best preserved sections of the wall are in the centre of the country, round Housesteads. The remoteness of the area, and the bleakness of the landscape have meant that little human habitation or farming have ventured there

Thre are a number of museums along the wall which exhibit some of the items the Romans left behind, and also explain how the whole thing worked to keep out the barbarian hordes.

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