Hadrian’s Wall Trip
The Classics Department led a half term expedition to the furthest reaches of the Roman Empire: Hadrian’s Wall.
After a long coach journey, staff and twenty students arrived at the Sill, a brand new youth hostel sat directly on the wall itself. Mr Thicknesse, Head of Classics, reports back on the highlights of the trip:
‘Saturday dawned in a drizzle, which quickly transformed into a torrent. Despite the poor weather, the girls strode bravely up the hill to meet the wall; as the rain dissipated, we made our way westwards along the most undulating section of the remains, finishing at our first site of interest – Birdoswald Roman Fort. Here we were met by our guide for the weekend, Kevin, a renowned expert in the history of the local area. Our afternoon was spent between two more sites: Vindolanda, an area where an extraordinary amount of Roman remains survives, and the Roman Army Museum. Having returned to the Sill, we rounded out the day with a workshop with a Roman army reenactor, complete with dress-up, army drills and even the formation of a tortoise in the middle of the youth hostel!
We started Sunday by marching eastwards past some of the most dramatic part of the wall: we passed crags, lakes and forests, and even the famous Sycamore Gap on our way to Housesteads Roman Fort. Kevin joined us again as our guide, and we explored both the remains and the colourful fort-cum-installation designed by Morag Myerscough. We then headed to Chesters Roman Fort and Corbridge Roman Town, again ably guided by Kevin; we were lucky enough to see the ruins of a bath-house, the Corbridge hoard and the Rudge Cup. We returned to the Sill to visit the exhibition space in the adjacent Discovery Centre (part of which was curated by the writer/naturalist Robert MacFarlane), before we spent the evening enjoying a superb quiz created and led by Mr Hansford, Miss Jacobs and Miss Turnor.
Monday should have seen us visit the historic city of York and the sensational Jorvik Museum; sadly, a mechanical failure with the bus meant that we were delayed in our departure from the Sill. After an afternoon of cards and a jolly lunch, we set off for London, accompanied by the delights of various classical films: The Eagle, Disney’s Hercules and Pompeii. We parted ways close to midnight, tired from term and trip alike, but brimming with new knowledge of and enthusiasm for the classical world!
My huge thanks to the staff who made this trip such a success – Mr Hansford, Miss Jacobs and Miss Turnor – and to each and every pupil, who were endlessly interested, joyful and superlative ambassadors for South Hampstead.’