Chesters Roman Fort and Museum - Hadrian's Wall

Schools

Bring Roman Britain to life with a visit to one of the Roman Empire's northern outposts on Hadrian’s Wall. Chesters Roman Fort is one of the most complete in Britain, with baths, steam room and officers' quarters to explore. 

Information about your visit

Our number one priority remains the health, safety and security of all of our visitors, staff and volunteers. Our staff are still working hard to keep everyone safe and make sure you and your group have an enjoyable visit.

You and your group don’t need to have a COVID Pass to visit, but please don’t visit if you or any of your group have symptoms of Covid-19, have tested positive or if you’ve been asked to self-isolate. We’ll always follow the latest government guidance, and if anything changes we’ll update this page to let you know our plans.

Important information to consider before you book:

  • Face coverings are now legally required in all our indoor public places, including our visitor centres, shops, on all on-site transport, and in our cafes except when you are eating or drinking (unless exempt)
  • To keep everyone safe we’re continuing to limit visitor numbers at some sites and in some indoor spaces. Please book as soon as possible to secure your preferred trip date and times.
  • In order to process your enquiry as quickly as possible, please ensure you have provided the following information, or have this information ready when you speak to one of our advisers: visit arrival and departure time; age range of the group; subject(s) to be studied; learning objective; number of learners and leaders; name of trip organiser; name of trip leader; SEND requirements. Go to our bookings page to make an enquiry or update an existing booking.
  • Find out more about what to expect on your school visit and make sure you download our COVID risk assessments; download a free copy of managing education visits during the pandemic and if you're participating in a Discovery Visit download our managing Discovery Visits during the pandemic risk assessment
  • To make the planning process as easy as possible, make sure you check our Plan Your School Trip section at the bottom of this page, for updated information on the facilities at the site as well as our free resources.
  • You’ll need to book your visit at least 14 days in advance. Please check our terms and conditions for full details.
  • Although is it not a requirement, any teachers, parents, or students aged 16 years can check in via the NHS Test and Trace app, using the NHS QR code posters displayed at the site entrance. Please factor this into your travel/arrival time. For more information about how we are handling your personal data for NHS Test and Trace please visit this page.

At some sites you might not be able to use our handling collections or costumes as part of a free self-led visit, but where we can provide hands-on items in a safe way we will. We’ve adapted our Discovery Visit workshops to keep you and your group safe at all times, but for certain sessions we’re still working on this – please check the Discovery Visit section and Facilities section on this page below for further information.

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Curriculum Links

Bring Roman Britain and the curriculum to life with a visit to Chesters Roman Fort:

  • KS1-3 History: Local history study
  • KS2 History: The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain; the 'Romanisation' of Britain and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs
  • KS2-3 Geography: Consider why the fort was built in this location
  • KS3 History: A study of an aspect or theme in British history from before 1066

Free Self-led Visits

We offer free entry to qualifying learning groups. Book a free education visit, and plan your day in your own way. Explore the remains of a tranquil riverside bathhouse and imagine the bustle of the cavalry fort, which used to house over 500 Roman troops. Then visit the museum to see the large collection of Roman finds from the site, and learn more about antiquarian John Clayton who discovered them.

Find out more

Pre-visit learning

Hadrian's Wall was an unprecidented project in ancient Europe, but why did the Romans build it, and how did they manage it? Watch this animation to find out more about this ingenious structure.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

We have a wide range of materials to support your visit and make school trip planning easy. Download our free resources to help you make the most out of your visit and create unique learning experiences before, during and after your trip.

We also offer free planning visits for group leaders once you have made a booking. Our Education Booking Team is on hand to advise and help you create the best possible school trip to suit your needs and area of study.

  • Facilities
    • PARKING: There are 60 car parking spaces available at Chesters Roman Fort. Four of these are disabled spaces. Parking is charged at £3.00, which is refundable upon entry. The coach park has capacity for six coaches.
    • TOILETS: Male/female toilets, including accessible toilets, are available on site. 
    • LUNCH: Enjoy hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, soup of the day and delicious cakes in Chesters Tea Room.
    • SHOP: The shop sells a wide range of English Heritage souvenirs and gifts.
    • EXHIBITION: The museum at Chesters Roman Fort was built in the 1890s, and still retains much of its original style. Totally unique along Hadrian's Wall, its collections are made up of around 2000 Roman finds, including a world class assortment of Roman Altar Stones. There is a disabled access to the museum (including a ramp). We recommend that pupils visit the museum in very small groups. 
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