Housesteads Roman Fort

Housesteads Roman Fort stands on the edge of a steep crag of the Whin Sill in Northumberland. The fort sits on Hadrian’s Wall, where the wall runs along a one-mile-long ridge of rock. It overlooks open hills with few buildings, giving a sense of isolation. The site was occupied for nearly three centuries after being built around AD 124. It lies between two other forts, Carrawburgh eight and a half kilometres to the east and Great Chesters almost ten kilometres to the west. The fort is recognised as the grandest station on Hadrian’s Wall and one of the best preserved. It was rebuilt several times, most notably in the late third or early fourth century. The garrison included a thousand-strong Tungrian infantry cohort and a Frisian cavalry unit. Finds from the site are displayed in museums at Chesters and Newcastle as well as at the fort itself. Visitors walk along the stone walls and see the remains of barracks and a large warehouse. The fort’s stone latrine and rainwater cisterns survive intact. Outside the south gate stand the ruins of Housesteads farmhouse, built in the 19th century. The surrounding land is open moorland, offering wide views across the Northumberland countryside.