 Corbridge Roman Site
Corbridge Roman Site is an ancient site, and excavations show that there was a settlement
here prior to the Roman occupation of the area. The Roman site as seen
today lies to the north-west of the modern town. The first Roman presence
in the area was in AD79 when a small military fort and bath house were
erected. This small complex was situated about a mile to the west of
the present fort and although excavated, lies within the precincts of
a modern farm. By AD84 the early fort had been abandoned and the garrison
moved to the site that we see today. The fort at Corbridge Roman Site evolved over
a period of many generations and can be described in four distinct phases.
The original fort, which survived until it was destroyed by fire in
cAD105, would have been of timber construction with earthen defences.
The second fort, once rebuilt, appears to have been of very similar
design to the first.
In AD120 further improvements were made to the fort in line with the construction
of Hadrian's Wall. Hadrian's original instruction was that the main garrisons
should be situated a short distance to the south of the main frontier,
which was ideal in the case of Corbridge Roman Site. However, during the lengthy
construction period this policy was changed in favour of forts that were
constructed actually within the line of the wall itself. Whether Corbridge Roman Site
continued as a military garrison after this time is unknown.
During the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius cAD140 a new military campaign commenced in an attempt
to push the frontier further north into Scotland. This was achieved,
and the new territory was consolidated with the construction of a second,
earthen wall (the Antonine Wall) stretching from the Firth of Forth
to the River Clyde. Standing on what was one of the major routes into
Scotland, Corbridge Roman Site was again refurbished, this time largely in stone.
In AD163 the Antonine Wall was abandoned in favour of Hadrian's original
frontier and this marked the end of Corbridge as a military garrison.
As was often the case in Roman times the military fort gradually evolved
into a civilian settlement. Being situated at such a conveniently short
distance from the wall to the north, it was an ideal location for merchants
and traders to develop the lucrative businesses required to sustain large
amounts of troops in the area. At sometime around AD75 major alterations
were being made to the old fort with the construction of two large Granaries,
the Fountain House and a large courtyard complex believed to be the Forum,
the bulk of which can still be seen. This work was seriously disrupted
in AD180 when a northern uprising broke through the frontier and caused
much destruction in the surrounding area. Once suppressed, the improvements
were completed together with further development on the south side of
the main street. The Courtyard complex was never completed to its original plan.
During the 3rd century the town continued to prosper and expand, covering a known area of some
27 acres, much of which remains covered by modern fields and is not
visible to the public. Little is known of the town's history during
the 4th century although it appears to have continued to prosper until
the early 5th century. Whether it continued in use for any length of
time after the the Roman's departed these shores is unknown.
Today visitors can view the central area of Corbridge Roman Site either side of 'Stanegate'
(the main street). The two large Granaries are particularly impressive
with their raised floors, as is the remains of the Fountain House. The
foundations of the incomplete courtyard complex are clearly visible to
the north-east of the site. The later development to the south of the
street, which was constructed within two walled compounds, also has some
very interesting features. |
