Housesteads is six miles north
east of Haltwhistle. This Roman fort is the longest standing tourist attraction
along Hadrian’s Wall. Housesteads is the most complete example of a Roman fort
in existence along the wall. Its walled perimeter is complete and there are
latrines and a hospital to see as well as the usual headquarters building,
commander's house, granaries & barrack blocks. Take a short walk to the
west for spectacular views of Hadrian's
Wall shooting like a
roller-coaster over the local crags. There is an adjoining museum.
Carrawburgh – Brocolitia
Carrawburgh is two miles south of
Simonburn. This fort is not available for visit, but one can walk up to the
edge of the ruins to have a look. There is also a small Roman temple to the god
Mithras. Mithras was originally a Persian deity but was adopted by Roman
soldiers in the later Empire.
Chesters – Cilurnum
Chesters is four miles north west of Hexham. The fort and its artifacts were preserved by a
local 19th Century land owner, John Clayton. There is a small museum
with numerous sculptures and inscription, including Coventina's relief
sculpture, the Mithras statues from Housesteads, the Carvoran corn measure. The
fort itself is noted for string room of the headquarters which still retains
its walls and vaulted ceiling. Outside, by the river, is the bath house, still
in a remarkable state of preservation.
Flavinius Tombstone
The Flavinius Tombstone is in the
south transept of Hexham Abbey in Hexham. The nine foot high monument to
Flavinus, the Standard-Bearer of the Petrian Cavalry in the troop of one
Candidus stands in front of a blocked doorway at the foot of the night stairs
in Hexham Abbey. The memorial shows this cavalryman in plumed parade armor
crushing a group of barbarians beneath him. Probably a Romanized Gaul, Flavinus
had served in the army for seven years, yet died at the age of only twenty-five,
sometime around 80 AD. St. Wilfred later brought the monument, as building
stone, to Hexham. It was then reused as paving in the 12th century cloisters
where it was eventually discovered in 1881.