Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hadrian's Wall: Housesteads

The next day we drove further east along the Wall to the Housesteads Camp, near Milecastle 37. (They built towers every mile, and a garrison fort, about 160 men, every five miles). We'd always thought about walking the Wall--one of Britland's great walks is the Wall, coast-to-coast. On this latest cool, rainy, and windy day, we settled for a few miles west and back.

That the Wall remains at all is nothing short of a marvel. (The same is true in China). Six or more centuries passed between the time the Romans departed and Norman rule (that is, centralized, powerful government). The Wall is indeed reduced and in some places incomplete. It is safe to assume that any pasture fence, barn, house, great house, abbey, cathedral, or castle within a hundred miles each way has got some of Hadrian's Wall built-in!
The Caulfield Quarry and Crags







Granary at Housesteads Camp--note raised flooring










Vicki on the Wall--a graveled part passing through some 
woods




















The Wall, looking back toward the woods, all over-grown, but still mostly there 
and standing







Remains of Milecastle 37








Somehow this view reminded me of the Great Wall of China--although 
Hadrian's is but the faintest shadow...




























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