Rudchester Roman Fort , Hadrian's Wall (site of)

The fort covers an area of about 4½ acres (c.1.8 ha), measuring 515 feet north-south by 385 feet east-west (157 x 117 m), and has a standard 'playing-card' outline. The praetentura of the fort is positioned forward of the line of the Wall, with both ends of the via principalis opening out onto the north side. Excavation has outlined a tumultuous history for the fort; towards the end of the second century it was burned to the ground and was rebuilt shortly afterwards only to be abandoned a century later, the defences were later restored (c.AD370) and the fort reoccupied until the end of Roman rule in Britain at the beginning of the fifth century.