Treasures of ancient Rome - the secrets that lie in the ground beneath Carlisle

Newly-discovered finds from last summer's community excavations of the Roman bathhouse at Carlisle Cricket Club at Stanwix are proof once again how hard it is to destroy anything built by man so that it vanishes without a trace.

Originally discovered in 2017, the amazing finds include a large collection of hypocaust tiles, part of the bath’s underfloor heating systems, which were made locally.

Many of them have imprints made accidentally by animals or humans during manufacturing.

Lead archaeologist on site, Frank Giecco, said the finds added to a growing pool of evidence that points to Carlisle having a link to the Roman Imperial court.

Frank said that it is not possible to prove that the Emperor - Septimus Severus at the time (193 - 211 AD) - ever set foot in the building.

However, he added that the building clearly had a link to the Imperial court and that the evidence was stacking up.

He said: "It's a huge monumental building that has been built by the Imperial workshop when Septimus Severus is in this country.

"There is a huge amount of circumstantial evidence.

"It has obviously got something to do with the Imperial court because his workshop built it. To say he was ever physically in it, you would need to have a time machine."

EASY DOES IT: Elsa Price places the Ilam Pan into the a display case. Picture: Stuart Walker

Now these finds and more of the Roman Empire's most stunning objects are being brought together under one roof for the first time, as Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle celebrated the 1900 anniversary of Hadrian's Wall last night.

They include the magnificent Newstead face mask – a bronze parade mask from the late 1st Century AD which was uncovered on the site of the largest Roman fort north of Hadrian’s Wall in the Scottish borders.

The mask is on loan from National Museums Scotland.

“The Newstead mask is spell-binding to look at,” says Jill Goodfellow, Exhibitions Manager at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.

“It would have been attached to the parade helmet of a Roman cavalry trooper and was worn for dramatic effect in exercises rather than on the battlefield as it would restrict the wearer's vision too much in real combat.”

STUNNING: Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator with National Museums Scotland, examines the Newstead Mask. Picture: Stuart Walker

Visitors will also be able to see one of the earliest “souvenirs” from Hadrian’s Wall - the fascinating Ilam Pan – which is thought to have been commissioned by a soldier to mark his military service on the wall in the mid-2nd Century AD.

The llam Pan is jointly owned by Tullie House, the Potteries Museum and the British Museum – this exhibition will be the first time it has been on display in Tullie House in over five years.

These items are in the To the Edges of Empire exhibition – one of three exhibitions at Tullie House being launched as part of HW1900 – the festival celebrating 1900 years since construction on Hadrian’s Wall began.

“The chance to see these objects and others under one roof is something really special,” says Director of Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Andrew Mackay.

“They explore the nature of empire and showcase the importance of Britain and other regions, as frontiers of the Roman Empire during the reign of Hadrian and subsequent emperors.”

Major new exhibitions of Roman artefacts at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery. Uncovering Roman Carlisle and To The Edges of Empire exhibitions is part of the Hadrians Wall 1900 festival. Picture: Stuart Walker

Tullie’s Uncovering Roman Carlisle exhibition, which features the exciting discoveries made during the 2021 dig at Stanwix are explored through the stories of the local people who found them.

The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and has been delivered in partnership with Tullie House, Carlisle City Council, Wardell Armstrong and Carlisle Cricket Club.

The Our Hadrian’s Wall exhibition will use photos from members of the public to show how the wall has been part of everyday lives and has become entwined in cherished family memories.

Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast, Hadrian’s Wall was built to guard the wild north-west frontier of the Roman Empire. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Museum is also hosting a series of talks by internationally respected experts exploring topical perspectives on Hadrian’s Wall, World Heritage Status, mobility and identity with the Roman Empire and the Roman occupation of frontier Provinces.

They take place on March 19, May 7 and May 28.