Official Website of Hadrian's Wall Country

It’s altars galore at Senhouse Roman Museum. The country’s largest collection of Roman military altar stones plus unique examples of Romano-British religious sculpture is here. Hadrian’s friend Agrippa started it with a temple to Jupiter and his successors really liked the idea of having a new altar annually. A Roman ‘must-have’ obviously.

The award-winning museum is dramatically sited on cliffs overlooking the sea and is next to the early 2nd century Roman fort at Maryport built by Agrippa. The Senhouse family got the collection habit in 1570, making this the oldest such collection in the country and of international importance. The nearby civilian settlement has also yielded objects that shed light on the life and times of the highest and lowest in the Roman pecking order.

Humphrey the Boar is the adopted emblem of the museum. But he goes back a lot further as he was the emblem of the 20th Legion and can be seen running free across fragmented stone masonry. Children visiting the museum get the chance to follow ‘Humphrey’s Guide’ round, dress up as a Roman and take part in an archaeological dig (sounds fun - do you think that there’s an upper age limit?).

There is quite a clutch of cool and slightly baffling things in the collection. Take the Serpent Stone for example (well, not literally; the curators would have a fit). The serpent writhes up a recarved altar stone whilst on the other side is a human face framed by snakes and scaly fish. Jolly strange, if you ask us. Or have a look at the stone relief of the naked woman next to the double gateway. Venus? Let’s face it, the experts don’t know so all suggestions welcome.

The red masonry from which the museum is built (it was originally a Naval Artillery Reserve Drill Hall) was mostly scavenged from nearby fields and shows Roman workmanship. Now, it’s not a good idea to take such stones but it really does enter into the recycling spirit. The newly built observation tower (built like a Roman Milepost) gives great views over the fort layout and the Solway Coast – handy for spotting incoming barbarians.