Last week saw the second of two guided walks that WallCAP has organised along Gelt gorge, Cumbria. The Rock of Gelt is the site of a Roman quarry, where soldiers quarried stone for the rebuilding of Hadrian’s Wall in AD 207. What makes the site unique is the wonderful carvings that the soldiers left behind. The Rock of Gelt is a Scheduled Monument and is currently on the Heritage at Risk register, as the carvings themselves are slowly being eroded away by the elements. As such, a recent project, by Historic England and Newcastle University sought to record the inscriptions for future posterity. For more information about the recent discoveries check out the Newcastle University and Historic England website or the recent issue of Current Archaeology!
This image shows a Roman figure carved in the quarry face that was discovered at Hadrian’s Wall quarry during recording work by Historic England and archaeologists from Newcastle University (Copyright – Jon Allison, Newcastle University)
During two recent guided walks, Jon Allison, Project Officer during the recent Rock of Gelt survey, provided an interesting tour of the gorge, showing participants both the old and newly discovered Roman inscriptions and describing what these inscriptions meant. One of our participants, who has visited the gorge of many occasions wrote a poem about the area a few years ago. Her thoughts on the Gorge are below:
During the recent guided tour of the Written Rock of Gelt, Kerry and I discussed the importance of people “connecting” with their landscape heritage.
It is extremely easy to connect with a place like Gelt Gorge – a deep ravine cut into the red Triassic sandstone layers by an amber-coloured river meandering through ancient woodland. Not surprisingly, people have been drawn to this area for millennia. The Romans saw the gorge primarily as a resource site for quarrying stone for the Wall but workers also carved small altars on the quarry faces, as well as heads and other features, and they inscribed text with details of individuals including name, rank and legion. Clearly, leaving their mark was important, a long-lasting declaration: “We were here!”. Remarkably, evidence of three legions associated with the Wall occurs along the banks of the Gelt. As the centuries passed, these carvings and inscriptions evidently became a source of wonder for others working in or travelling through the area. In 1607, William Camden documented Gelt Gorge as having national significance due to the various ancient inscriptions left behind by the Romans, an accompanying sketch also being published. The Victorians recorded the gorge as one of the most beautiful and romantic places in Cumberland, and many tourists of yesteryear flocked to witness the Roman graffiti on what had become known as the “Written Rock” on the eastern bank and “Pigeon Clint” on the opposite side of the river.
As a biologist, I usually write scientific articles so poetry is quite another path, though one much enjoyed. For scientists and artists alike, the natural world is awe-inspiring and human history fascinating; subject matter is endless. Through poetry, imagination may roam freely which is particularly useful for creating a “minds-eye” view of past situations. Greater awareness and conservation of our natural and historical heritage is a major drive for penning my poems.
Gelt Gorge is a place where nature and history combine to give a truly spectacular and atmospheric setting, with evidence of the Romans etched in rock above the swirling river. It is indeed a very special site and a source of inspiration for many.
Janice M.
The guided walk at Gelt is only one of a series of activities that the WallCAP team have planned for the summer including training sessions, fieldwork, talks and much much more. We are hoping to advertise upcoming events shortly – if you’re interested in taking part, or would like to find out more about the project, please sign up as a volunteer by clicking here.