Work to restore ancient stonework from Housesteads Roman Fort has taken place at its temporary home in North Yorkshire, in time for the opening of a brand new visitor attraction at Housesteads this spring. Before making the 105 mile journey back to the fort, a team of skilled experts used cutting edge technology, to scan, cleanse and restore the 1,800 year old stonework, at its archaeological store in Helmsley.
The ancient sculptures and altars, which all originate from the Roman site, have undergone a careful high definition laser scanning procedure by surveyors to accurately record the carved details. Once analysed, we hope to discover the exact purpose of the artefacts throughout the ages, including sculpted figures of three Mother (Matres) goddesses dating back to the early 3rd Century AD. Significantly, data from the Roman stonework is now also being used to create bespoke plinths to support these fragile artefacts, ensuring they will be safely displayed at the new museum.
Kevin Booth, Senior Curator for English Heritage in the North, said: “The ancient stonework will form a vital part of the new museum at Housesteads Roman Fort, helping to create an authentic picture of life in the Roman age for visitors and demonstrating the legacy that the Romans left behind. Ensuring the artefacts return to their new home in the best possible condition is of the utmost importance and we have employed a team of experts to painstakingly restore, scan and cleanse them at their temporary base in Helmsley.
The new visitor attraction will open to the public in spring 2012. Whilst this is still in development, visitors can access the fort free of charge or visit the Roman Museums and collections at Chesters, Birdoswald and Corbridge which remain open at weekends throughout the winter.
Northumberland National Park Authority is improving the visitor infrastructure at Housesteads. Improvements to the car park and access points will ultimately provide 40 additional car park spaces and better access for visitors. National Trust has also been granted planning permission for Phase 2 of the project with work due to take place towards the end of 2012. This will include improving the welcome for visitors; remodelling the visitor centre, toilets, shop and café.
Housesteads Exhibition
Find out more about Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall and the new exhibition, opening spring 2012.
