Housesteads Roman Fort

Imagine what life was like for the 800 soldiers living and working at Housesteads in the Roman period. The fort's original name was Vercovicium, meaning ‘the place of the effective fighters’.

At the very edge of their empire, the soldiers were secure and self-sufficient within the fort. They had a barracks block, hospital, Commander’s House, granaries and communal toilets, all of which you can still see today.

Explore life on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire inside Housesteads Museum. Find out how the Romans built the fort as well as the vicus, a civilian settlement which developed in its shadow.

See the fort brought to life in our film with stunning recreations of the original Roman buildings, and meet Felix, the character who guides younger visitors around.

The fascinating collection of Roman finds give you a snapshot of life 2,000 years ago. See Roman altars, dedication stones, jewellery, tools and weapons, all excavated from the fort. Look out for the impressive winged statue, Victory, a wonderful example of classical sculpture found lying in the landscape around the fort.

A visit to Housesteads Roman Fort offers curriculum links across three key stages:

KS1: The national and global significance of Hadrian's Wall
KS2: The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
KS3: a study of an aspect or site in local history dating from a period before 1066

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