Hadrian\'s Wall Research Framework

[Robert Vermaat]

Hadrian's Wall Research Framework is now online here.
Hundreds op pages of research on the wall, the forts, the landscape etc.

[alsinstructor]

Excellent! I'll be reading this for days....

[Amethyst_ice]

if only this was around last year when i was doing my uni project on the wall!!! when i shift some of this work will enjoy browsing though!

[Gaius Colletti]

How much of Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall actually have survived. I understand that it was quite common for locals to remove walls for their own purposes, or to build roads up to the 18th Century

[D B Campbell]

How much of ... the Antonine Wall actually has survived.

Not a lot! The major feature that survives pretty well along the 60km length is the Antonine ditch, which fronted the wall. In places, it is even close to the original 12m width and 3.5m depth.

The disadvantage of the Antonine Wall is that it was a turf rampart, so this has naturally degraded over the centuries, or has even been ploughed out altogether, and has been built over in places. Generally, though, wherever archaeological excavation has taken place, the rampart's stone cobble base has been found, around 4m wide with neat kerbs along the front and back. Two or three sections of this base have been exposed and consolidated for view. One or two of the forts can still be seen, but they are turf-built, so don't expect the beautiful stonework of Hadrian's Wall.

[Amethyst_ice]

I was quite upset when I visited the Antonine Wall by the lack of protection it seemed to have. There is so little that survives, many people i bumped into didn't even know what it was!



I asked the workmen here if they knew what they were busy destroying and they just laughed and said...what a field?!

[D B Campbell]

Looks like the Castlecary viaduct?
[attachment=314]CastlecaryRomanFort.jpg[/attachment]
Most of the damage was already caused by the construction of the railway line in 1841.

Edit: The red box shows the perimeter of the fort, with the course of the Antonine Wall. (The railway line is carried across the dual carriageway on a viaduct.)

[Amethyst_ice]

yes was castlecary, was suprised how worn down the ditch was and seeing the railway cut right through was saddening also. I think i read on a sign that the surviving ditch area may be built over with the new road system also, can't quite remember.

its a shame that so any sites dont survive..there are a few nice ones though, i really enjoyed seabegs wood..even if it was very waterlogged!

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

Great find, many thanks for adding it!