IN line with celebrations of the Hadrian 1900 Festival, Emperor Hadrian stopped off for a dip at Carlisle's Victorian and Turkish Bathhouse.
To mark Carlisle's status as home to the largest fort on the Roman Wall, Emperor Hadrian (Peter Frost Pennington) arrived in town on Tuesday to inspect the cavalry regiment stationed at Uxelodunum, in Stanwix.
Emperor Hadrian's visit to Carlisle came after he kicked off the festival with a bubble bath in the Ravenglass Roman bathhouse - one of the highest free standing Roman structures in northern England.
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Upon his arrival in Stanwix, Emperor Hadrian and his entourage were taken by local Stanwix resident and member of Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths, Lynda Hepburn to the City’s opulent Turkish Baths.
Dressed only in a loin cloth and his imperial laurel, the Emperor braved the icy waters of the plunge pool before resting in one of the 113-year-old relaxation booths in the Frigidarium.
Gazing at stained glass and tiled interior, whilst being fed peeled grapes and honey cake, Emperor Hadrian declared himself most pleased with the facilities.
Member of the Friends Group, Lynda Hepburn said: "The recent discovery in Stanwix of what is thought to be the largest Roman Bathhouse in the Northwest has reaffirmed Carlisle’s status as a significant place in Roman Britain.
"The fact that Carlisle was also home to what is thought to have been a private Roman bathhouse located under the market hall and has one of only twelve remaining original Victorian Turkish Baths still in use, made it impossible to resist organising a talk on the history of bathing in the city as part of the 1900 Festival.
"The talk promises to reveal some little-known facts and guests will have the chance to see some of the discoveries unearthed during last year’s dig.”
Following his relaxation time, the Emperor met with members of the Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths who are taking part in the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 programme of events.
The Friends are hosting a special talk tracing Carlisle’s history of bathhouses and bathing from Roman times to the Victorian fashion for Turkish Baths through to the resurgence of cold-water swimming on Friday May 13 at Cakes and Ale, with tickets available online.
READ MORE: Friends of Carlisle and Victorian Baths to host historic talk
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