Chesters Roman Fort

Chesters Roman Fort stands on the west bank of the River North Tyne near Humshaugh in Northumberland. It was a cavalry fort on Hadrian’s Wall, built soon after the Wall itself in the early 2nd century. The fort’s three northern gates gave quick access to land beyond the Wall, showing it was meant for rapid strikes rather than defence. A later road linked the fort to the Stanegate, and the Military Way passed through two smaller gates. The rampart walk stood fifteen feet above ground to match the height of the Wall. The fort is the best-preserved cavalry fort on Hadrian’s Wall and one of the best examples in the empire. Excavations showed how the Wall’s original plan was changed to build the fort, with earlier structures demolished and ditches filled in. The fort guarded a bridge across the North Tyne, whose massive stone abutments still stand downstream. Four large columns from the site were reused in St Giles’ Church at Chollerton, two miles away. The fort’s baths on the riverbank are among the most impressive on the Wall and have survived in good condition. A museum on the site holds John Clayton’s collection of Roman finds, gathered in the 19th century. The large civil settlement outside the south gate had streets lined with buildings, including town-houses with multiple rooms. Inscriptions show cavalry and infantry units from Spain, Germany and the Balkans once garrisoned the fort. The museum building, designed by Richard Norman Shaw, opened in 1903 and displays many of these artefacts. The grassy slopes and river views give a quiet setting for exploring the remains of Rome’s northern frontier.