Lanercost & Birdoswald Roman Fort

Written by: Heather

Location: Lanercost/Hadrian's Wall
Venues: Lanercost Priory & Birdoswald Roman Fort
Duration: Full day

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cumbria Tourism, the team at CT are trying out 50 tourism experiences we haven’t tried before. Follow along as we continue our journey across the Lake District, Cumbria throughout the year! On this experience day, Heather Sewell takes a look around Lanercost Priory and Birdoswald Roman Fort.

One of Cumbria’s most atmospheric highlights must surely be the Hadrian’s Wall Trail, the epic World Heritage Site marking the North West frontier of the Roman Empire as it echoes more than 1,900 years of history through 73 miles of dramatic landscape. This particular visit took me to the area in and around Birdoswald Roman Fort near Brampton. Although my first stop of the day at Lanercost Priory wasn’t Roman, much of the original structure was apparently built with stone from Hadrian’s Wall.

A place of worship for 850 years, I soon found out that this medieval monastic site - currently looked after by English Heritage - is impressively well-preserved. Take the refectory undercroft, which is a great example of a vaulted ceiling in a distinct Gothic style (and is now also home to Roman altars which had apparently been discovered in the 19th century).

However, it was the soaring arches which were the highlight for me, where parts of the 13th-century church’s east wing survives to its full height - forming dramatic shapes and silhouettes.  As sociable swifts danced and darted through the air around me, I thought of all the generations who had stood in the same spot; maybe looking for refuge, perhaps to seek solace or simply to feel closer to God.

The site is certainly steeped in history. Having endured numerous raids from the Scottish, including William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, Lanercost was also once the seat of English royalty when a gravely ill Edward I stayed there for several months. It later fell into disrepair following the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of Henry VIII.

Stepping next door, the adjoining Priory Church remains in use as a Parish Church, with visitors very welcome to go and take a look. Some of the most striking features were actually the most modern; namely, the spectacular stained glass windows designed by the renowned Pre-Raphaelite designer Edward Burne-Jones. As I gazed upwards at the sunshine glinting through the panes of multi-coloured glass, I felt a genuine sense of otherworldliness.

After refuelling at Lanercost Tea Rooms (recently named as the Best Café in England!) it was time to delve into the famous Roman frontier with a visit to one of the best-preserved forts along Hadrian’s Wall, the nearby Birdoswald Roman Fort.

The Fort is managed by English Heritage and has been extensively excavated for the past 100 years. The main visitor centre featured exhibits and interactive displays about the fort and life in Roman Britain. Heading outside alongside the archaeological remains, I encountered gateways and walls which had once housed hundreds of Roman soldiers.

Looking out from the south west corner of the site, down a steep escarpment, it was easy to see why the Romans chose this dramatic location to survey miles of surrounding landscape as far as the eye could see.

Birdoswald is also attached to the longest remaining stretch of Hadrian's Wall, which stands more than 2 metres tall. I wandered eastwards as the Wall meandered through the rolling Cumbrian countryside towards Harrow’s Scar - otherwise known as Milecastle 49.

The numerous ruins of ‘milecastles’, or small forts, pop up at regular intervals of approximately every Roman mile (around 1.5km to you and me) and this one takes a commanding position looking down over the River Irthing.

I strolled back towards Birdoswald in the hazy afternoon sunshine, before making one final pitstop straddling the Cumbria-Northumberland border at the village of Gilsland. Here sits Milecastle 48, known locally as Poltross Burn, featuring a particularly well-preserved section of Roman stairs.

All in all, it was a great whistlestop tour of the Hadrian’s Wall Trail east of Carlisle.

English Heritage membership is also an economical way to see these sites – and many more – with free entry to both Lanercost Priory and Birdoswald Roman Fort (and handily, its car park) included for members.

For more information visit:

Lanercost Priory website

Birdoswald Roman Fort website

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