Alauna

Alauna was a Roman fort beside the River Ellen in Cumbria. It stood on a low hill north of the modern town of Maryport, close to the Solway Firth. The fort was built about AD 122 under Hadrian to guard the western end of his wall. A road ran south-east to Papcastle and north-east to Carlisle, linking Alauna to other forts. Archaeologists have found traces of an earlier, larger fort beneath the visible remains. A geophysical survey at Camp Farm covered 72.5 hectares and revealed the fort’s civilian settlement and possible port. The site is important because it has produced more Roman altars than any other British fort. These altars were set up for yearly ceremonies and carry inscriptions naming commanders and officials. One altar was dedicated by Gaius Cornelius Peregrinus, a decurion from Saldae in modern Algeria. Excavations led by Ian Haynes and Tony Wilmott have shown the altars were later reused in a late-Roman building. The discovery won Tony Wilmott the Archaeologist of the Year award in 2012. Visitors find the Senhouse Roman Museum on the fort site. It holds the Senhouse family’s collections, including many altars and other Roman objects. Outside, the fort’s earthworks and stone robbed for later buildings can still be seen. The museum building itself was once a naval drill hall built in 1885. Beyond the fort, the geophysical survey suggests a well-preserved civilian settlement with roads, plots and medieval traces.