Hardknott Roman Fort ***
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Description:
The stunning scenery and extensive ruins of Hardknott Fort (Mediobogdum) make it a solid 3-star must-see! Once one of the most isolated Roman outposts in the UK, it’s steeped in history. The Roman road stretched from the coastal fort at Ravenglass (Glannaventa), winding up the Eskdale Valley to Hardknott Fort, then over the Hardknott and Wynose passes toward the other forts at Ambleside (Galava) and beyond to Kendal.
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The fort, built between AD 120 and AD 138 during Emperor Hadrian’s reign, seems to have been briefly occupied at first before being reoccupied in the late 2nd century. It housed 500 men from the Fourth Cohort of Dalmatians, infantry soldiers from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Perched 815 feet above sea level, they guarded the Roman road between Ambleside and Ravenglass against invasions by the Scots and Brigantes. The fort measured 375 feet on each side, covering about two and three-quarter acres, and was sacked in AD 197.