English Heritage has joined forces with CBeebies star Maddie Moate to introduce a new generation of would-be-historians to the wonders of Hadrian’s Wall. In celebration of the first anniversary of new museums at Birdoswald Roman Fort and Corbridge Roman Town, the conservation charity is launching a series of audio episodes designed to encourage families to explore Hadrian’s Wall.
Presenter Maddie Moate joined the teams at English Heritage’s sites along Hadrian’s Wall to record twelve episodes of ‘Discover the Wall’. Listeners can join Maddie as she marvels at the sheer scale of the wall on a visit to Housesteads Roman Fort, uncovers the secrets of Roman cooking at Birdoswald, explores the world-famous Corbridge Hoard, and discovers the story of the Victorian antiquarian who saved Hadrian’s Wall at Chesters Roman Fort.
The twelve episodes cover the history, importance and significance of Hadrian’s Wall including its construction, the men and women who made their lives in the frontier zone and its current status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination
Lynn Rylance, Head of Historic Properties (North) at English Heritage said: “Hadrian’s Wall is a magical place to visit with families, and our museums at both Corbridge and Birdoswald mean that there is now even more to do, see and explore. Our new audio series with Maddie Moate is designed to inspire even the youngest visitor- her enthusiasm and interest in Hadrian’s Wall is infectious and I hope will encourage families to come along explore these amazing places.
“This summer we have a range of fun and interactive events taking place along the wall from falconry to cavalry displays so there’s never been a better time to visit Hadrian’s Wall.”
Maddie Moate said: “Recording ‘Discover the Wall’ was such an all-round wonderful experience; walking outside in the fresh air and admiring the historic surroundings all whilst having interesting conversations with English Heritage experts! Before the audio episodes I knew very little of Hadrian’s Wall and Roman life, but discovering how much more it was to the people who lived and worked along it was absolutely fascinating.”
In 2018 English Heritage, the charity which manages six sites along Hadrian’s Wall reopened new museums at Corbridge Roman Town and Birdoswald Roman Fort. The new museum at Birdoswald is the flagship family friendly site in the north and to date has welcomed 38k visitors. The revamped museum has a periscope to look out on the fort, a series of bricks and pulley’s to build the wall as well as engaging and fun graphics to tell the story of the Roman frontier.
The museum at Corbridge Roman Town benefited from a new visualisation as part of its re-presentation of the museum, which houses the largest collection of Roman finds on Hadrian’s Wall, including the world famous Corbridge Hoard. Alongside the children’s games and toys, another highlight is an exquisite perfume vase, in impeccable condition which went on display for the first time last year. Likely to have contained precious oils such as frankincense or the indulgent fragrance of rose water, this beautiful blue enamelled copper vessel belonged to a high status woman
Hadrian’s Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was recently awarded Countyfile’s Landmark of the Year.
The audio episodes entitled Discover the Wall with Maddie Moate can be downloaded from https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hadrians-wall/audio-series/
