Ambleside Roman Fort.

       For many people their first visit to Ambleside Roman Fort can be somewhat disappointing. Their usual comment is; "There's not enough to see!" And in truth there isn't much in actual visible stonework on view and yet a better understanding of the site makes you realise how important the structure really was in those times past.

        Initially, very little was known of the Fort apart from a few mentions in early guide books  and by 1900 was more or less a bare "platform" surrounded by a couple of possible ditches. All this changed through the archaeological excavation led by R G Collingwood between 1913-20. Where they discovered the remains of a fort laid out in a set pattern of Commander's House, Granary, Headquarters and Barracks. The Commander's House, Headquarters and Granary, are the presently exposed remains. The fort was thought to have been constructed about 80AD by the forces of Agricola, whom supposedly passed through this area. The exposed remains are of the second fort built on the site, this and the first having been destroyed in various raids. There have been "digs" in recent years to expose some of the stonework and the East Gate, there are also a number of signboards on site, which give some information about the forts layout.

      Ambleside is an important junction for a number of roads and the lake, then as now and the fort is well placed at the centre of this junction. Currently there are two exposed gates, East and South, but it makes sense there would be a West Gate for access to Hawkshead and Hardknott and a North Gate for access to the Keswick and Kirkstone roads. Next to the fort site there is Borran's Park, Borrans is a Norse word for "piles of stones" or "field of stones" The first thing you notice about Borran's Park is, there are no stones, whatsoever, the site has been swept clean. Probably a good source of building material for the early progress of the modern Ambleside town. Ambleside Roman Town is thought to have stretch from here to as far North as Low Fold and there are some boundary lines still visible in the surrounding land, Ambleside Roman Town has never really been properly investigated and development in recent years as disorientated large parts of the potential town.

      To the North-West of the fort there is a small natural hill, which would be part of any military construction and part of one of the forts, possibly as a observation point or signal station.  

      In the 1950's the level of Windermere Lake was raised, only by inches, but made the small peninsula to the south a lot more moist even boggy. The most southern tip may well have been a likely candidate for a small harbour to receive goods by water transport, there is a known Roman slipway at Lakeside. Still traceable all the way along the east side of this land is the Roman Causeway., still largely intact.

      To the west side of the fort is the river Rothay, navigable as far as the Brathay junction. Also to the west and along side the fort, is a damp often in flood, stretch of ground which gives the impression of one time being a river or similar, but is also thought to have been a canal, Still easily traceable as far North as Rothay Bridge, then afterwards, further to Miller Bridge, beyond this, it's uncertain.

      At the fort there are clear signs of ditches along the north and partially on the west side, which still occasionally flood in damp weather, to the west there is the canal and the south, the lake. Apart from all this, Ambleside, both old and new, over time was a very damp and boggy region and large areas of the town are dominated by stone drains, which criss-cross the landscape. The Roman engineers laid many of these and they exist all over the township and well beyond.