Binchester Roman Fort visit

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This is an amazing place, most of which is still underground.

Binchester Roman Fort was founded around 79 AD to guard the crossing of the River Wear by Dere Street, the main road connecting York to Hadrian’s Wall and Scotland. It was the largest Roman fort in County Durham, and evidence points to its construction in parallel with Agricola’s march northward into the Brigantes’ territory.Binchester’s vast size meant that it could host a considerable military force and was an important staging post for the Roman military in the region. Evidence found at the site shows that the fort held cavalry units, with inscriptions showing them to be multicultural in nature – one such hailed from central Spain and another from what is now Holland.Binchester Roman Fort remained in use throughout the Roman period and a large civilian settlement grew up around it, with locals continuing to occupy it several centuries after the Roman forces departed. The modern-day village of Binchester is about 2 miles to the east of the site.

Today Binchester Roman Fort site is open to visitors who can explore its atmospheric remains, including two well-preserved bath houses. The first lies within the fort complex and holds one of the best preserved hypocausts – or underfloor heating systems – in Britain, while the second lies outside the fort complex, and contains walls still standing 6ft tall!Sections of the Roman Dere Road may also be viewed, while excavations of the site are also ongoing to uncover more of its fascinating story. There are information boards around the site, while guests may also take guided tours, helping to fully envision what was once a thriving Roman military base.
For a time one of the largest Roman military installations in the whole of Northern Britain. About 7 hectares in size it was large enough to have accommodated a battle-group formed of several cohorts of legionary infantry and one or more units of auxiliary cavalry. Even when it was reduced to 4 hectares around 160 AD it was still the largest fort in County Durham.

An extensive civilian settlement (vicus) existed to the north and west of the fort, the remains of which are buried under the pastures of Binchester Hall Farm. The southern part of the fort is now beneath Binchester Hall, while some of the defences were destroyed in a landslip in the 19th century. Part of the stone bridge used by Dere Street to cross the River Wear can still be seen when the river is low. In 2007, several mausolea were found to the north of the vicus.

Its pretty incredible how these places have lasted for so long, almost 2000 years, totally amazing!