SEGEDUNUM ROMAN FORT

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SEGEDUNUM the Roman Fort at Wallsend is where the Roman Wall commences its journey through Northumberland and Cumberland. Also Known as Hadrian’s Wall it was built to keep out the Scottish raiders. The first part of the wall was built at Pons Aelius (modern day Newcastle Upon Tyne) and continued in a westerly direction and it was not until a few years later that it was extended east to the river Tyne. Hadrian built the wall of Turf but later it was replaced with stone when Antonine took over, so I suppose it should be called Antonines Wall. At regular intervals along the wall Hadrian built milecastles and every so often, a larger fort where soldiers and cavalry were stationed. Segedunum was the first of these larger Forts, built at the eastern extremities of the Wall. Segedunum is now a museum with only the foundations visible at this time but there is also a rebuilt portion of the Wall, just as it would have been in the second century C.E. The garrison of 600 was comprised of 480 infantry and 120 cavalry. Excavations have found evidence of a vicus or civil habitations to the north of the fort that would probably be the origin of the village of Wallsend. The Romans were forced to leave the fort around 400C.E., leaving it to the local inhabitants, who of course aquired the stones used to build it for their own buildings.

The photographs show the iconic 123 foot high viewing tower and views from the tower as well as museum exhibits and the reconstructed Roman Bath-house (fully working) and the tiny Roman Garden. Segedunum is a ‘Learning Museum’ and regularly hosts bus trips from schools in the area.

Bibliography: Wikipaedia and my own knowledge