CHESTERS (Cilurnum)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History:

Cilurnum has been translated as 'Cauldron Pool' which could be a reference to the swirling unsteady waters of the North Tyne near the fort. Hadrian's wall had already been completed here before the fort was built, though not the vallum. Three of the four main gates of the fort issue on the north side of Hadrian's wall as befits a cavalry post where a large number of men may need to be deployed at speed. A bridge over the North Tyne carried the wall down the slope, across the river and back up to the fort wall adjacent to the gate. The original bridge was timber on three stone piers. The hexagonal abutment of this can be seen embedded in the later heavy stonework of the second bridge. This edifice, built in the Severan period was a massive stone affair that carried both the wall and the military way across the North Tyne. A standard vicus grew up around the south and east walls of the fort in the late second century.

Occupation:

The 1st Cohort of Vangiones are attested here as well as at Benwell but, since a cavalry unit is also attested here in the Hadrianic period, the Vangiones officer noted on the tombstone at Chesters may belong to a retired soldier and the unit may have served only at Benwell. Chesters being without a doubt a cavalry-oriented fort this seems more likely. Between 122 and 138 AD the garrison seems to have consisted of the Ala Augusta. They seem to have been replaced by Ala 2 Asturum by 184 AD where they continued to serve until the end of the Roman occupation. The 1st Cohort of Dalmatians are also attested here, but with no specific date. They perhaps provided a caretaker garrison between occupation by the two cavalry wings.

Remains and Visit:

The first place to visit at Chesters is the museum, housing many of the items found throughout the length of Hadrian's wall by the great victorian excavator John Clayton. The museum contains an impressive array of stones. A short path leads the visitor to the north gate, one of six gates have all been laid bare to the visitor. Beyond this gate lie the remains of barracks with a wide road between. Following on to the centre of the fort you will find the headquarters building with its impressive strong room and behind these is the commanding officer's house with its bath suite. A short stroll from here down toward the river leads to the best preserved military bath house on the wall. Back onto the main road and across the North Tyne you will find a small path that leads around a mile down to the remains of the bridge abutment that you can see from the fort grounds.

Images:

Inside the museum	North gate	The barracks	Headquarters building	The bridge abutment
The strong room	Commander's house bath complex	Bath house changing room	The hot bath	Aerial View & Plan