Segedunum, which means “unassailable fortress”, was one of the many forts along Hadrian’s Wall. Segedunum Fort was built shortly after 122 AD and stood strong for 3 centuries; up to 600 soldiers were housed here.
Today, Segedunum is once again the gateway to Hadrian's Wall. It is the most excavated Fort along the Wall and has a large interactive museum plus a 35 metre high viewing tower providing outstanding views across this World Heritage Site. The museum is developed and managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on behalf of North Tyneside Council. When planning this museum, which opened in June 2000, Heritage Lottery funding as well as bits of private funding were used to come this far. Education is very important at this site, more than for example at nearby Arbeia.
The purpose is to create and sustain a world-class visitor attraction which will entertain and educate a wide audience through high quality research, interpretation and promotion of the Roman and subsequent heritage of the site and its surrounding region.
The project was started to display and interpret the important site of the fort at the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall. The basis for reconstruction were the remains of this Roman fort at the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall and a significant number of archaeological finds. One of the reconstructed dwellings is a Roman bath house which is fired up from time to time to provide information and experience of how such buildings operated.
