Revelling In Roman History at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum, Chollerford England

Just when you think you can’t possibly take in anything else Roman along Hadrian’s Wall Path, you walk straight by any number of major forts, all of which have been carefully excavated and, in great detail, showcase ‘life on the Wall’.

Even before I left Aus, I was very conscious that I didn’t want to become overwhelmed with too much history, names, dates, battles i.e. Another-Bloody-Cathedral Syndrome, so I decided to pick and choose carefully. And I am so glad I did.

English Heritage manages a whole range of historic sites along the length of the Wall and, when I asked for recommendations on the Hadrian’s Wall Path Facebook Page, Chesters Roman Fort and Museum got a lot of number one votes. My walking plan meant that I would arrive at Chollerford with time to explore, so Chesters it was for me.

What:

• Chesters Roman Fort was established in 124AD and was a major defence element roughly halfway along Hadrian’s Wall.
• The Fort is different to many other forts you can explore along the length of the Wall as it is a cavalry fort not an infantry base. Apparently, around 1,500 horses were housed in/near the fort and surrounding area, and this provided a high level of prestige.
• This fort also has a fascinating more recent history, with the involvement of the Clayton family.

• In the late 1700s, this area became home to the very wealthy Clayton family who declared they had ‘arrived’ by taking up residence in the absolutely magnificent Chesters House.
• When John Clayton inherited the house and estate in 1832, he was fascinated by the unusual terrain and many strange mounds in the paddocks not too far from the front of the house.
• Being a passionate history lover and antiquarian, he diverted some of his farm workers to start digging around the mounds to see what they concealed. These excavations quickly confirmed his suspicions that his family’s estate was actually home to an important piece of history.

• The more they dug, the more they found and Clayton established one of the largest collections of Roman artefacts in the United Kingdom – to the point where he actually threw some items away or reburied them as he considered them of little value!
• He was so passionate about Roman History that he went on to buy up great tracts of land where other Roman forts were located and also substantial stretches of Wall. All in the effort to preserve the structures and halt the theft of wall stone, which was commonplace at the time.
• I understand the only thing holding back further excavation of the Chesters Fort site these days is the lack of funds. Who knows what else could be found under the layers of earth? It’s an exciting prospect.

Where:

• Chesters Roman Fort and Museum is located on the edge of Chollerford, Hexham, Northumberland.
• It is only a 10-15 minute walk (on a footpath) from Chollerford.
• Hadrian’s Wall Path goes straight past the front entrance to the site, as well as the old Chesters House stables building. It is equally magnificent.

When:

• The Fort is open daily, from 10am-5pm.
• Allow at least 1.5-2hours to have a thorough wander around the site.

Why:

• To transport yourself back in time to the Roman frontier.
• To let your imagination run wild.

How:

• I recommend that you start your visit in John Clayton’s Museum. The family established the Museum after Clayton’s death to house his substantial collection under one roof. It gives you good context before exploring the grounds.
• There is excellent interpretive signage to explain the site as you walk around or you can buy a guidebook for £5 for more detailed information.
• Free guided tours run by volunteers operate a couple of times a day. These are really worthwhile doing, but ignore the reported 1hour duration. My guide was still talking a million miles an hour 90minutes later! I eventually had to excuse myself as I was starving AND freezing! 😊
• If you drive to the site, not walk, parking is plentiful (for a fee).
• Prepurchase your entrance ticket online for a 5% discount. The adult price is normally £12.00 or free for people with English Heritage membership.

Who:

• Children will enjoy this place as they have Roman dress-up outfits and games to play. The kids I saw were loving their mock battles and finding treasures in the pretend archaeological digs.
• The grounds are very well-maintained and there is a network of clear paths for people to navigate. I also noticed 4WD wheelchairs for those who need a little extra mobility.
• For the shoppers amongst you, there is a small retail outlet chockful of Roman memorabilia and if you are hungry, a café will provide energy for further exploration.
• Jo would definitely like to walk this on a Monday.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Chesters Roman Fort and Museum. While I walked past plenty of other heritage sites as I meandered along Hadrian’s Wall, I didn’t feel the need to go in. Blame my short attention span or the fact that I had reached my history saturation point! I was already walking through history every day along the Path and that was enough for me. 😊

Have you been on an archaeological dig? Did you find anything interesting?

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