Cilurnum (Chesters) was a Roman cavalry fort on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, established c. AD 123 to guard the bridge carrying the Wall and the Military Way across the North Tyne. The fort covered approximately 2.3 hectares and was occupied into the late 4th century, garrisoned in the 3rd century by the ala II Asturum, a 500-strong cavalry regiment recruited originally from northern Spain.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
As one of the principal cavalry forts on the Wall, Cilurnum projected mounted patrols north of the frontier and controlled a strategically vital river crossing. Its commanding officer's house and headquarters complex are among the most complete examples of their kind in Britain, illustrating the comforts and administrative apparatus of a frontier unit's command.
Excavations begun by John Clayton in the 19th century exposed the headquarters building (principia) with its strongroom, the praetorium with hypocaust-heated rooms, barrack blocks, and a particularly well-preserved military bathhouse on the river bank, alongside the abutments and piers of the Roman bridge (Chesters Bridge) on the east bank. The site's Clayton Collection, housed in the on-site museum, includes inscriptions, altars, sculpture, and cavalry equipment, making Chesters one of the richest assemblages from any Wall fort.
Cilurnum (Chesters) was a Roman cavalry fort on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, established c. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.
Cilurnum is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Turret 27A (0 km), Baths of Cilurnum (0.2 km), The Roman fort, vicus, bridge abutments and associated remains of Hadrian's Wall at Chesters in wall mile 27 (0.3 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
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