The importance of the ancient monument Hadrian’s Wall to our modern lives is captured in a series of cherished photos by members of the public about to go on display.
They show how the wall, 1900 years old this year, provides the backdrop to some of the most important moments in people’s lives.
One of the most powerful images in the exhibition, at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle, shows physiotherapist Mike Pole-Baker sitting at the wall with his pet dog. It’s an everyday image but it was no ordinary moment for Mike.
“It was taken when I had just been told I was in clinical remission from myeloma, a terminal diagnosis I had been given a few years ago,” explains Mike who lives in Brampton, near Carlisle.
“It was one of those perfect days in December,” says Mike. “The sun was shining, the sky blue, the wind still with nobody around. It was a perfect moment to reflect on what a privileged part of the world I live in.”
Jane Ainsworth, from Ponteland in Northumberland, has submitted a photo showing her family reunion at Housesteads Fort with grandchildren from Virginia in the United States.
“It’s a reminder of lovely family times because it was taken in August 2019 just before the pandemic which meant we wouldn’t be able to see them for some time,” says Jane. “The children love the history of the wall which I think we can sometimes take for granted. They found it hard to believe they were in a Roman fort!”
Martin Casey’s night-time shot of the wall’s famous Sycamore Gap brings back chilly memories for the 61-year-old who runs a tarmac company in Cheshire.
“I spent four hours walking and got the shot on the way back and it was worth it,” says Martin who is an amateur photographer. “A midnight walk on a cold clear night. Just me, the tree and a million stars. Perfect!
“My camera’s remote control froze and when I got back to my vehicle the temperature was showing minus 7.5 degrees!
“I called at a local pub afterwards and asked for a hot coffee to warm myself up. One man sitting at the bar said ‘Hot coffee? You’re soft lad. Minus 7 is just a nip in the air up here!’”
The exhibition, Our Hadrian’s Wall, goes on display in the gardens at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle on Friday, April 1 and runs until June 12.
“The photographs explore what Hadrian’s Wall means to people in 2022,” says Director of Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Andrew Mackay. “They illustrate how the wall has been part of everyday life and has become entwined in cherished family memories.
“Visitors are invited to view them and see how they showcase a variety of interpretations of the wall’s meaning and relevance. There are dramatic landscapes, cherished memories, intimate stories and joyous moments to reflect on,” says Andrew.
Our Hadrian’s Wall is one of three exhibitions at Tullie House which are part of HW1900, the festival celebrating 1900 years since construction of the UNESCO World Heritage site began.
To the Edges of Empire (March 5 – June 12) brings together beautiful and important objects from around the Roman Empire during Hadrian’s reign. And Uncovering Roman Carlisle (March 5 – June 12) displays stories behind the community excavation of the Roman bathhouse at Carlisle Cricket Club.
Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast, Hadrian’s Wall was built to guard the wild north-west frontier of the Roman Empire.
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 May 7 and May 28. Full details HERE
