SECRETS FROM THE EMPIRE’S EDGE

Walkers on Hadrian’s Wall are used to stories of military might and tough Roman discipline – but a new project aims to tell us more about family life on the wall.

Previously unseen artefacts like feeding bottles, children’s games and a doll’s leg are among the more unusual items that have gone on show at two sites along the wall following a £1.8 million revamp. English Heritage experts say the exhibits throw new light on those who lived alongside the soldiers and centurions.

Among the new displays at Birdoswald fort, near Gilsland, is a pair of cremation urns which contained the remains of a young woman and a five-year-old child – possibly a mother and her son or daughter. Meanwhile at the Corbridge Roman Town visitor centre, you can see everyday minutiae of family life such as board games, toys and an ornate perfume vase which would have contained frankincense or rose water.

Curator Frances McIntosh told CW: “Alongside its military function, Hadrian’s Wall was a thriving centre of everyday life. Even though ordinary Roman soldiers weren’t officially allowed to marry until 197AD, a blind eye was often turned and many wives and children would have lived there. These discoveries remind us how rich and diverse the story of life on Hadrian’s Wall is.”

Both sites can be visited from the Hadrian’s Wall Path national trail, but to celebrate the overhaul, English Heritage has also created a new weatherproof map of Birdoswald which features two walks from the site. Written by Mark Reid (more from him on page 56), they tell the story of the fort and its vital role on the empire’s northern frontier; you can buy them at the fort for a small fee.