About Epiacum Roman Fort
"The Best Preserved Roman Fort in the Empire" Visitors welcome. Try our family trail. Impressive ramparts - a diamond in the North Pennines Landscape.
Epiacum Roman Fort Description
Epiacum is the roman name for Whitley Castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument at castle Nook farm, Alston. The site has been extensively researched by English Heritage and been classified as the "most significant monument in the region" - we are around 15 miles from Hadrian's Wall, so that is some claim! !
Reviews
A brilliant article in the Autumn edition of the “ReadMe”’ magazine - with hints about what is coming next for Epiacum ! Look out for a copy locally - there are lots of local news stories in every edition ! I believe it is on sale in the town hall and in various sales points around Haltwhistle / Haydon Bridge / Hexham
Parch Marks 2018 Photo taken by James Little
If you want to be part of the exciting future that is approaching at Epiacum , why not join our Friends group? It’s £10 per year. You can find out more on website! We currently have around 70 Friends , whose annual subscription supports us to manage the site and ensure that we can continue to provide access and develop visitor engagement activities! https://www.epiacumheritage.org/get-invol ved/
In case any of you are thinking of wandering up to Epiacum from the river
Great to get a mention in this popular event happening in Lindisfarne this weekend! Professor of “Lumps and bumps” and our President of Friends, Stewart Ainsworth is a key speaker - and , under his subject “LIDAR of the North Pennines”. Epiacum is sure to get a mention! https://www.google.com/…/top-tv-histori ans-gather-lindisfar…
Epiacum Heritage CIO ( Charitable Incorporated Organisation ) needs YOU
EPIACUM HERITAGE has now been in existence for 10 years but has just become a registered charity.
Our vision and aims are to preserve, protect, educate and celebrate…….... A unique Roman Fort, the highest in England and one of the best preserved in Europe, at the heart of a heritage landscape spanning at least 3000 years with evidence of Iron Age Roundhouse settlements Dark Age Longhouses Medieval settlements Several Bastle House (fortified farmhouses) Sheilings and Summer pastures Lead Mining remains ……all set in an outstanding upland landscape in the North Pennines close to Alston
Find out more about us and the Charity at https://www.epiacumheritage.org/ and https://en-gb.facebook.com/Epiacum/
As we develop and make this step change into a larger more active organisation we need to grow at the ‘top’ as well.
Would you interested in joining us in one of the following roles? Do you have skills that we could use and that you would be willing to share or to put to use to assist us in a voluntary capacity?
We are looking for people to help us as we now move forward
As a TRUSTEE Meeting every couple of months to run the Charity and be responsible for all of its work. This would help us share the workload and move the organisation forwards in all areas.
As an ADVISOR With a Heritage, Fund Raising, Interpretation, Event Management, Archaeology or Property Management background…or perhaps you have some other specialist skill. Your role would be to advise the Trustees at some of their meetings as and when required
To find out more about these roles and how you could help us please contact us:
Paul Mercer, Trustee Tel: 07904 812252 Email: paul@epiacumheritage.org
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It was the first tent to go up and the last to come down. It started out as the command tent / office and ended up as the only communal space left after the others blew away in an overnight storm.
And off go the toilets and the last tent ..... all evidence of the last two weeks madness is almost removed! It all feels a little surreal - but what a fantastic by everyone involved!
Once upon a time there was a wall..... then some crazy volunteers came and took it away!
Our Jericho Diary continues ... Apologies for the gap in communications! We had a little weather on site - but those Second Nervians are made of tough stuff and regrouped to continue! Look out for the following instalment over the next few days ! https://www.epiacumheritage.org/epiacum-o peration-jericho-…/
Bear with us - big changes in camp this morning thanks to the North PENNINE wind!! #cleaningup!
Boing! From one wall to another ... feels a little like time travel - tents at Epiacum to the city in a few hours... still got a slight smell of wood smoke and earth about me!
Day 4 - more wall fun and I got a surprise from the past.... not quite as old as Epiacum though...
https://www.epiacumheritage.org/b…/post /day-4-more-wall-fun/
Please do come and visit us while the walls are being removed .the car park might be a tight squeeze but it’s a great time to come up and see the transformation taking place! The work being done by volunteers is amazing and we are so grateful for everything that is being done!
Day 3 finds and news about the wall from today...
https://www.epiacumheritage.org/…/day-3 -finds-and-news-abo…/
As a bit of muddy relief from all the current wall malarkey - here's Anne Leuchars' blog post about her visit to 'the best bench on Isaac's Tea Trail' (you know, the one over looking the fort) https://walkingisaacsteatrail.wordpress.c om/…/an-encounter…/
The wall falls...
Some more of yesterdays finds from the wall as it gives up more secrets...
https://www.epiacumheritage.org/bl…/pos t/more-day-two-finds/
we think more happened
What an amazing place.
From the car park it looks like a few lumps in a field. But grab a guide and soon you'll be standing on the top of some spectacular ramparts. Unspoiled and uncommercial it's a pleasure to walk in the footsteps of legions with just the lapwings and buzzards for company. Before heading off to the glamerous and well marketed Hadrians Wall spend some time here in the evocative and windswept fort. The cosy life up on the wall is a world away from the isolation of Epiacum. What a culture shock for the legions It must have been!
We had a wonderful evening walk around the family trail with 6 Girl Guides, 2 volunteer Guiders and a wonderful parent volunteering too. It was entertaining and engaging for 10-14 year olds having fun with their friends. Thanks, from Alston Guides.
The Landscape Archaeology weekend run by Stewart Ainsworth and Al Oswald was superb. Brilliantly organised by the Epiacum Trust. Even the weather couldn't take the shine of the event - without the rain there couldn't be the rainbows under the towering clouds in the North Pennines Big Sky Country. Amazing experience.
My 6 year old (and my 40 something year old) had a fantastic time at the family dig day today. He was so enthusiastic about the whole experience and was so proud that he'd been part of a real dig. Well done to all involved.
I spent a glorious weekend learning about the fort and the surrounding area with Stewart Ainsworth, Al Oswald and several other like-minded people. Their landscape archaeology courses are superb and well worth the cost!
Great place to visit but i love the leaflet please remember part where children should be on leads.
Fantastic way for our family to spend a sunny morning finding out about a bit of local Roman history - especially enjoyed the guided tour from Alistair and the kids trail. Can't wait to cook up the local beef for Sunday dinner that is reared at the site.
Fantastic place, learned so much. Friendly experts on the digs too!
Fantastic morning spent with local historian Alastair. We followed the family trail and loved it.
Fantastic morning spent exploring the site. Kids, and adults, had a great time.
Fantastic fun for the children who really enjoyed the guided trail and playing with the swords and shields. Very informative and great views, combine with the South Tynedale railway and a full day out.
we think more happened
What an amazing place.
From the car park it looks like a few lumps in a field. But grab a guide and soon you'll be standing on the top of some spectacular ramparts. Unspoiled and uncommercial it's a pleasure to walk in the footsteps of legions with just the lapwings and buzzards for company. Before heading off to the glamerous and well marketed Hadrians Wall spend some time here in the evocative and windswept fort. The cosy life up on the wall is a world away from the isolation of Epiacum. What a culture shock for the legions It must have been!
We had a wonderful evening walk around the family trail with 6 Girl Guides, 2 volunteer Guiders and a wonderful parent volunteering too. It was entertaining and engaging for 10-14 year olds having fun with their friends. Thanks, from Alston Guides.
The Landscape Archaeology weekend run by Stewart Ainsworth and Al Oswald was superb. Brilliantly organised by the Epiacum Trust. Even the weather couldn't take the shine of the event - without the rain there couldn't be the rainbows under the towering clouds in the North Pennines Big Sky Country. Amazing experience.
My 6 year old (and my 40 something year old) had a fantastic time at the family dig day today. He was so enthusiastic about the whole experience and was so proud that he'd been part of a real dig. Well done to all involved.
I spent a glorious weekend learning about the fort and the surrounding area with Stewart Ainsworth, Al Oswald and several other like-minded people. Their landscape archaeology courses are superb and well worth the cost!
Great place to visit but i love the leaflet please remember part where children should be on leads.
Fantastic way for our family to spend a sunny morning finding out about a bit of local Roman history - especially enjoyed the guided tour from Alistair and the kids trail. Can't wait to cook up the local beef for Sunday dinner that is reared at the site.
Fantastic place, learned so much. Friendly experts on the digs too!
Fantastic morning spent with local historian Alastair. We followed the family trail and loved it.
Fantastic morning spent exploring the site. Kids, and adults, had a great time.
Fantastic fun for the children who really enjoyed the guided trail and playing with the swords and shields. Very informative and great views, combine with the South Tynedale railway and a full day out.