Name: Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
Address: Chollerford, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 4EU
Telephone: 01434 681379

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Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall

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Address

Chollerford, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 4EU

Plan Your Visit

Things to See and Do

What's On

Clash of the Romans

Sat 6 - Sun 7 Jul 2019 11am - 5pm
Horrible Histories - Rotten Romans

Sat 6 July - Sun 4 Aug 2019 11am - 5pm
Get hands on with history

Sat 20 Jul - 1 Sep 2019 11am - 5pm
Roman Falconry

Tues 23 - Wed 24 Jul 2019 11am - 5pm
Ear Trumpet

Sat 27 - Sun 28 July 2019 11am - 5pm
Hail Hadrian

Sat 24 - Mon 26 Aug 2019 11am - 5pm

Timeline

124Hadrian's Wall Fort

A turret on the Wall is demolished to make way for Chesters fort, one of 15 built along Hadrian's Wall.

124-40Early Roman Residents

A 500-man cavalry unit, the 'ala Augusta ob virtutem appellata', is stationed at the fort.

Find out more about the history of Chesters Roman Fort

138Break from Cavalry

The 1st cohort of Dalmatians, an infantry unit, carries out building works. For the first time in its history, Chesters may have temporarily ceased to be a cavalry fort.

178Back in Business

The Second Asturians ('ala II Asturum'), a cavalry unit from northern Spain, settle here and completely rebuild the barracks.

Read a description of Chesters Roman Fort

180-250Civilian Settlements

Outside the fort walls, civilian settlements (vici) grow and prosper.

4th CenturyInherited Duties

The Chesters unit adopts compulsory hereditary service and soldiers are mainly paid in kind. The outer settlements are probably abandoned.

Early 5th CenturyRemaining Cavalry

The Second Asturians remain at Chesters, increasingly cut off from the weakening Roman Empire.

675Stripped for Parts

Saxon builders dismantle the remains of the Roman bridge, using the stone for a church at Hexham.

Find out more about the Roman bridge at Chesters

1796Buried Ruins

Nathaniel Clayton buys the estate, levelling the ruins and grassing them over to form a park.

1832John Clayton's Reign

Nathaniel's son John Clayton, a lawyer and Roman enthusiast, inherits the property.

1843-90Extensive Excavations

Clayton devotes every Monday to excavations. Chief workmen are William Tailford and his son, who spends 45 years excavating Chesters.

1890-5Continuing Legacy

After John Clayton's death, his son Nathaniel takes over the excavations and builds a museum to house his father's Roman finds.

See highlights of the collection at Chesters

1946State Ownership

The eastern bridge abutment, fort, wall and baths to the east are taken over by the Ministry of Works.

1982-91Modern Research

Excavation and surveys take place on the eastern and western bridge abutments, the only large-scale work of this type completed after the Claytons.

Learn more about the history of Chesters Roman Fort

Nearby Places
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0.28 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
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0.7 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
Planetrees Roman Wall - Hadrian's Wall
1.11 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall

Chesters Bridge Abutment - Hadrian's Wall
0.28 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
Brunton Turret - Hadrian's Wall
0.7 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
Planetrees Roman Wall - Hadrian's Wall
1.11 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall

Nearby Places
- Chesters Bridge Abutment - Hadrian's Wall
  0.28 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
- Brunton Turret - Hadrian's Wall
  0.7 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
- Planetrees Roman Wall - Hadrian's Wall
  1.11 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
Similar Places
- Chesters Bridge Abutment - Hadrian's Wall
  0.28 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
- Brunton Turret - Hadrian's Wall
  0.7 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall
- Planetrees Roman Wall - Hadrian's Wall
  1.11 miles from Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall