Roman Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall

Tullie House’s large collection of Roman artefacts includes an internationally important set of organic (mostly wooden and leather) objects from excavations of the fort and town located under present day Carlisle, as well as an outstanding collection of inscribed and sculptured stones. The museum also has collections originating from the Cumbrian sections of Hadrian’s Wall. The museum also holds a small number of Roman writing tablets, including what may be the first written reference ever found naming the province as ‘Britannia’. Material is held from both the fort and town at Carlisle and from the forts at the western end of Hadrian’s Wall, comprising a wide range of military and domestic items. There is also a fine collection of religious material, including statues, figurines and plaques, representing both classical Roman gods and local Celtic deities.

The Roman displays can be seen in the Border Galleries, where there is a full-height reconstruction of a section of Hadrian’s Wall.