AN exhibition celebrating the community excavation at Carlisle Cricket Club, Uncovering Roman Carlisle, will be visiting venues throughout the district week beginning this week until September 2022.

With the discovery of the largest known building on Hadrian’s Wall, over 700 finds, and at least 1,100 days given by volunteers, the pop-up exhibition will not only tell the story of Carlisle’s Roman bathhouse, but also of the community of volunteers and professionals who made this exciting project possible.

Claire Sleightholm, Uncovering Roman Carlisle’s exhibition curator said: “It’s very exciting to be able to take the Uncovering Roman Carlisle (URC) exhibition to venues around the district including some of the real objects found onsite, which will be set up in our own ‘finds hut’.

"URC has unearthed a vast amount of Carlisle’s Roman history.

"Over the summer, starting this week at Carlisle’s Civic Centre, we’ll be working with our wonderful volunteers to bring the exhibition into the communities who helped uncover and discover this exceptional site.

News and Star: FINDS: The Uncovering Roman Carlisle exhibitFINDS: The Uncovering Roman Carlisle exhibit

“We will be visiting Longtown Community Centre, Brampton Moot Hall and even popping up in The Lanes Shopping Centre along with other venues too, keep a look out on the Tullie House and Carlisle City Council websites and socials.

“This is really exciting for the project and will allow the local community to see up close some of the amazing Roman finds and to provide more people the chance to see what Carlisle has to offer!”

'The largest building on Hadrian’s Wall - and a vast amount of Roman history'

Cllr Stephen Higgs, portfolio holder for culture, heritage and leisure added:
“We are delighted the touring exhibition will be getting out into the communities who volunteered to be part of the project, and we welcome the exhibition here in the Civic Centre in Carlisle.

“This exciting community heritage project has unearthed the largest building on Hadrian’s Wall and with it a vast amount of our Roman history. With the pop-up exhibition, the project will bring to a series of local venues and village halls in the district the opportunity to see the story of a really unique, exciting excavation.

"The tour will allow our residents the chance to see and find out about some of the amazing Roman finds, and the people who found them.

“The City Council has worked with our partners at Tullie House, Carlisle Cricket Club, and Wardell Armstrong Archeology to continue to engage and work with the volunteers.” 

Venues are:

  • Monday June 27 - Friday July 8 2022: Civic, Centre - Hadrian’s Room. 
  • Monday July 11 - Sunday July 24: Longtown Community Centre. 
  • Monday July 25 - Sunday August 7: Fort Maia Visitor Centre, Bowness on Solway. 
  • Monday August 8 - Sunday August 21: Brampton Moot Hall. 
  • Monday August 22 - Sunday September 4: The Lanes Shopping Centre. 
  • Monday September 5 - Monday September 19: Burgh by Sands Village Hall. 
  • September: Carlisle Cricket Club. 

This project is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and is supported by volunteers led by a partnership of Carlisle City Council, Carlisle Cricket Club, Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery and Wardell Armstrong.

Chloe Brownlee-Chapman, regional director from Wardell Armstrong said:
“The excavation at the Cricket Club and exhibition at Tullie have enabled people from Carlisle to get hands on with our shared Roman heritage.

"It has been a pleasure for our professional Archaeologists working alongside the public and think it’s great that the next stage of the touring exhibition tells the community volunteers story as well as that of Roman Carlisle.”

The exhibition will be open to the public but procedure at each venue and opening times may vary.