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Hadrian was the first to build a wall, eighty miles long, to seperate the Romans from the barbarians. He came to Britain in AD 122 to see it started, and brought over his friend Platorius Nepos as governor to take charge of the construction. The actual building would be done by the legions, the elite citizen soldiers, II Augusta, VI Victrix and XX Valeria Victrix. While the Wall was being built, and Nepos was still governor, it was decided to build forts on the line of the Wall itself at regular intervals, projecting to the North and so simplifying the task of deploying troops north of the Wall. The Wall was a barrier, it would not stop an army or determined individuals crossing on foot, but it would stop mounted men and control the movement of carts and beasts, making border raiding unprofitable. Approximately 5 miles of Hadrian's Wall from Housesteads Fort to Cawfields Quarry is National Trust property. Housesteads Fort is maintained and managed by English Heritage. Location: Bowness-on-Solway to the West through to Wallsend on the banks of the River Tyne to the East. Hadrian's Wall is, in many parts, remote from public transport routes and most easily visited by car. |
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