Location: 'Phe wall is well preserved along much of its length. Particularly noteworthy are the stretches at Housesteads (described elsewhere in ‘Places to V isit’) and W alltown Crags north-west of Halt whistle (Northumberland). (VValltown Crags: NY 6766)
‘... the great wall of I ladrian is not just the most exciting relic of the Roman occupation of Britain, but perhaps the largest and most remarkable building-programme ever undertaken in these islands at any time.’ I'hus Roger J. .. \ ilson in hisGz/zc/e to the Roman Remains in Britain sums up the importance of this impressive 73i-niile frontier. It is still impressive today, despite centuries of erosion: when originally built it was 8-10 feet wide and around 20 feet high, with a 9-foot ditch on the north side
Hadrian's Wall on WalltoKn Crags (Sorthumberland).
And a vallum (earthworks) 120 feet across on the southern side. Regularly along the length of the wall were turrets and milecas-tles (small forts with gates), and there were sixteen large forts close by with a full complement of soldiers ready for action, probably 12,000 men in all.
Construction of the wall was begun in AD 122 and finished by 128. During the succeeding 300 years it was alternately abandoned or damaged during attacks and then restored several times, but the mere fact of its being necessary to maintain such a wall indicates the degree of hostility which the Romans faced. Roger Wilson suggests that it was built to separate the Brigantes of north England from the tribes of southern Scotland, to prevent their getting together in a joint uprising against the Romans. That it was not totally successful in keeping the local tribes quiescent is shown by the evidence of destruction at various times.
World History
