Overlooking the River Tyne, this garrison and military supply base guarded the main sea route to Hadrian’s Wall. Built around 160 CE, it was an important port for the 17 forts along the wall and could house a mixed auxiliary unit of around 480 infantry and 120 cavalry.
Today, there’s a large, excavated area to explore including two gateways, several granaries, a tile kiln, water tank, latrine and two headquarters buildings. There are also impressive reconstructions of a barrack, the west gate (pictured) and a late-Roman courtyard house.
Regina was the slave of a Syrian trader called Barates until he made her a ‘freedwoman’ and then they married. The other gallery – Amazing Finds – explores the history of the fort through fascinating artefacts such as an iron-ring mail shirt that was lost during a fire.
For a chance to see a real Roman, head over to the pub opposite the site, The Look Out on Fort Street. Locals report sightings of Roman soldier ghosts here, but even if you don’t see a legionnaire, it’s a good place for a pint and a sandwich.
The site has two museum galleries. The first, Set in Stone, houses a series of altars and two of the finest Romano-British tombstones in the country. The beautifully carved Regina Tombstone records the death of a 30-year-old British woman called Regina from the tribe of the Catuvellauni.
