Hadrian's Wall

Introducing Hadrian's Wall

What exactly have the Romans ever done for us? The aqueducts. Law and order. And this enormous wall, built between AD 122 and 128 to keep ‘us’ (Romans, subdued Anglo-Saxons) in and ‘them’ (hairy barbarians from Scotland) out. Or so the story goes. Hadrian’s Wall, named in honour of the emperor that ordered it built, was Rome’s single greatest engineering project, a spectacular 73-mile testament to ambition and the practical Roman mind. Even today, almost 2000 years after the first stone was laid, the sections that are still standing remain an awe-inspiring sight, proof that when the Romans wanted something done, they just knuckled down and did it.

It wasn’t easy. When completed, the mammoth structure ran across the narrow neck of the island, from Solway Firth in the west almost to the mouth of the Tyne in the east. The section from Newcastle to the River Irthing was built of stone, and turf blocks were used on the section to Solway – roughly 3m thick and 4.5m high. A 3m-deep, 9m-wide ditch and mound were excavated immediately in front (except where there were natural defences). Every Roman mile (1.62 miles; even in measurement the Romans outdid us) there was a gateway guarded by a small fort (milecastle) and between each milecastle were two observation turrets. Milecastles are numbered right across the country, starting with Milecastle 0 at Wallsend and ending with Milecastle 80 at Bowness-on-Solway. Between each was a series of turrets, tagged alphabetically, so Milecastle 39 (a good one) was followed by Turret 39B, Turret 37B and then Milecastle 40.

A series of forts were developed as bases some distance south (and may predate the wall), and 16 lie astride it. The prime remaining forts on the wall are Cilurnum (Chesters), Vercovicium (Housesteads) and Banna (Birdoswald). The best forts behind the wall are Corstopitum at Corbridge, and Vindolanda, north of Bardon Mill.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009