7 things you might not know about Hadrian’s Wall

At Walwick Hall, we’re incredibly proud to have one of Britain’s most famous and impressive landmarks on our doorstep. Deep-rooted in history every step of the way, Hadrian’s Wall gives all our guests a truly fascinating and unforgettable insight into our Roman heritage. Discover more about our historic Wall and why it’s so important to the landscape of our beautiful region below…

1. The previous owner of Chesters Stables, John Clayton, once owned 20 miles of Hadrian’s Wall.
A large portion of the Wall that remains standing today has largely been attributed to the work of John Clayton, the 19th century owner of our now-renovated Chesters Stables. Clayton bought more than 20 miles of land along the west Hadrian’s Wall to protect it for the first time – up until then the locals had been removing stones from the wall for their own building projects. Clayton started farms on the land and used the proceeds to rebuild large sections of the Wall to the standard we see today.

2. It took more than 15,000 soldiers to build.
It took an enormous team of 15,000 men more than 6 years to complete Hadrian’s Wall. Sprawling almost 73 miles coast-to-coast, it was a major construction project, particularly of that time.

3. It’s the largest remaining artefact of the Roman Empire.
As well as being one of best known and most well-preserved frontiers of the ancient Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall is also officially the largest. The Wall measures close to an incredible 117.5 kilometres and would take the average Fitbit enthusiast around 150,000 steps to walk its full length.

4. It doesn’t mark the border between England and Scotland.
Contrary to popular belief, Hadrian’s Wall stands entirely within England and has never marked the border between England and Scotland. In fact, the two nations didn’t even exist when building work commenced back in 122 AD.

5. You can find all the names of the soldiers who built it.
There’s a record with all the names of the men and soldiers who helped to build Hadrian’s Wall. This can be found in the Clayton Collection in Chesters Roman Fort, located just across the road from our Estate, which holds 53 stones with the names engraved on it. 

6. It was painted white to intimidate invaders.
There’s evidence at various points along the Wall that suggests it may have originally been whitewashed to appear more visible and daunting to invaders, forcing them to stall – or completely abandon – their attacks.

7. It was the inspiration behind Game of Thrones.
As avid fans of the hit series will know, Hadrian’s Wall was a big inspiration for Game of Thrones writer George R. R. Martin. The Sycamore Gap Tree at Hadrian’s Wall also had a taste of Hollywood when it featured in a prominent scene in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, attracting major worldwide attention.

However you discover it, Hadrian’s Wall is a truly unique, must-see part of our country’s history. After a day spent exploring its extraordinary canvas, nothing will feel more relaxing than returning to our premium Spa or our luxurious restaurant, The Dining Room, for a fresh, locally-sourced dining experience. You can book your visit here.