For those who want an introduction to Hadrian's Wall in Cumbria, or an overview of its history and appearance at one single site, Birdoswald is the place to visit.
Not only can a Roman fort, turret and milecastle all be seen here: but also, to the east, the longest continuous stretch of Wall visible today. The Visitor Centre has interesting displays and reconstructions, tracing the history of the Wall via audiovisuals, strikingly life-like figures and excavated artefacts: these also tell the intriguing story of Birdoswald and its people over the past 2,000 years.
Birdoswald likewise has the best preserved defences of any of the 16 major forts which supported Hadrian's frontier system. Known to the Romans as 'Banna', from the early 3rd century its garrison was a thousand-strong infantry unit originating in Dacia (modern Romania). Three main gates of their fortress are still traceable, along with perimeter walls, angle towers, granaries and an unusual drill hall.
Overlaying these, another distinctive feature of Birdoswald, are the remains of the successive buildings raised here after the Roman withdrawal. First, in the 5th century, a large timber hall - now marked out by posts - was built, perhaps for a local British chieftain. Later a medieval fortified tower rose here,
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Birdoswald Roman Fort (Hadrian's Wall)