Key points of Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall is stretched across the North of England passing though many cities and towns with the coordinates 55.0242° N, 2.2925° W. This historical site begun in 122 AD and was used as defensive fortification in Roman Britain during the time that Emperor Hadrian ruled. The diameter and height of the wall depended on the construction materials that were located nearby however the length of the wall was 117.5 km long. Parts of the wall that were built east of the River Irthing were built from squares stone and were 3 meters wide and 5 to 6 meters high. The parts of the wall that were built west of the river were made from turf and were 6 meters wide and 3.5 meters high. Finally the central section measured 2.4 meters wide and 3 meters high. Although majority of Hadrian's Wall had fallen down or eroded parts in various locations still remain.
In 84 AD, the Romans won a big battle against the Pits who lived in Scotland, which was not a part of Britain. This victory led to Hadrian's decision to order the soldiers to build a wall between Roman Britain and Scotland. The wall took 14 years to construct and ran from Wallsend in the east to Bowness on the Solway Firth. It is the largest recorded structure ever built by the Romans and its primary reason was to defend the country and keep the Pits out of Britain. The wall was also guarded by two soldiers whose job was to do a sentry duty side-by-side stopping anyone who came close to the wall. Every 1500m along the wall a mile-castle was built to house up to twenty soldiers, Turrets which were also guarded by soldiers were built every 500 m along the wall and major forts such as Housesteads were build every 8 km along the wall. The Housesteads housed 500-1000 soldiers and contained a hospital, a granary, barracks workshops and washrooms/toilets.
The wall was designed and constructed by the Roman soldiers who patrolled the wall for over 250 years and even though the Pits invaded and destroyed the wall three times the Roman rebuilt it themselves making sure that no one got past. Hadrian's Wall is now the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England and in 1987 it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 84 AD, the Romans won a big battle against the Pits who lived in Scotland, which was not a part of Britain. This victory led to Hadrian's decision to order the soldiers to build a wall between Roman Britain and Scotland. The wall took 14 years to construct and ran from Wallsend in the east to Bowness on the Solway Firth. It is the largest recorded structure ever built by the Romans and its primary reason was to defend the country and keep the Pits out of Britain. The wall was also guarded by two soldiers whose job was to do a sentry duty side-by-side stopping anyone who came close to the wall. Every 1500m along the wall a mile-castle was built to house up to twenty soldiers, Turrets which were also guarded by soldiers were built every 500 m along the wall and major forts such as Housesteads were build every 8 km along the wall. The Housesteads housed 500-1000 soldiers and contained a hospital, a granary, barracks workshops and washrooms/toilets.
The wall was designed and constructed by the Roman soldiers who patrolled the wall for over 250 years and even though the Pits invaded and destroyed the wall three times the Roman rebuilt it themselves making sure that no one got past. Hadrian's Wall is now the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England and in 1987 it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.