Corbridge is four miles east of
Hexham. Just outside the settlement is the partly excavated remains of a large
supply station for the military posted on Hadrian's Wall,
just to the north. There are huge granaries with impressive porticoed loading
bays. There are a large forum, streets, houses, temples and workshops. There is
a good military headquarters with steps down into the strong-room. There is a
good audio tour available to explain things too. The small museum is packed
with interest. There are some excellent sculptures including that of a lion, from
a large nearby mausoleum.
Museum of Antiquities
The Museum
of Antiquities is at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The museum holds
one of the largest collections of artifacts from the north of England in existence, stretching from Paleolithic times to the 19th
Century. Included in the collection are the Rothbury and Alnmouth Saxon
Crosses, the Birth of Mithras stone from Housesteads, featuring the earliest
depiction of the signs of the zodiac found in Britain, the Aesica brooch, the Aemilia finger-ring and the
enchanting South Shields Bear Cameo. There are not only models of Hadrian’s Wall
and associated structures, but a fall scale recreation of a Mithras Temple.
Wallsend – Segedunum
Wallsend is four miles east north
east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Besides seeing the newly excavated Roman fort on the
ground, there is an observation tower to see the place from a birds eye view.
There is a great interactive museum to help the visitor to understand how the
Roman army lived and worked. The central area imitates the courtyard of the
excavated headquarters building with the Imperial Chapel and treasure room at
one end. The model of the fort in the center allows you to view each street
exactly as it would have been and a computer screen takes one for a walk right
down them Don't miss out on the full-scale working reconstruction of a Roman
bath-house, based on the one at Chesters, over at the far side of the site
though. It's quite incredible. Watch out in the Caldarium, which is quite
hot. The bath is apparently planned for
booked groups to actually use it properly in the future.