Hadrian's Wall

This site has recently undergone a huge makeover, and its style, as well as its substance, now does justice to what is one of the world's most important ancient archaeological sites. Indeed, as well as being slick and stylish it is a positive encyclopedia of useful information for anyone planning to visit Hadrian's Wall.

The information tends towards the practical, with copious details of transport routes, accommodation, walking tours, other areas to visit and the like. These all emphasise how historically interesting and rich the area is, encouraging all sorts of different visitors to look beyond the wall. Anyone planning to visit the area could well be better off visiting this site than any of the local tourist offices. Among these details are scattered many links to other relevant websites; where else could you find a link to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre alongside a guide to the Inter-regional Trans-Pennine Railway?

There could be more about the history and development of the wall during the Roman period, but the designers are hampered - as at Stonehenge - by a lack of evidence. There is plenty of evidence for daily life on the wall but very little about its wider purpose and development. Perhaps greater comparison could be made with the border fortresses and walls that were built along the Rhine at the same time. However, this lack of any comparative evidence only serves to underline how unique Hadrian's Wall is. The history of the wall appears instead through biographies of the notable (largely Victorian) scholars who first surveyed and dug it.