Carlisle Racecourse History Day

The Romans have arrived!

The last thing I expected to see when I arrived at Carlisle Racecourse was a Roman Centurian in full armor complete with gladius and shield looking very imposing. Not quite the Roman invasion of Britain but I was just as impressed as I imagine the ancient Brittons were when Julias Ceasar landed his cohorts on the south coast of England in 55 BC.

The gentleman I had encountered was taking part in a special history day at the Racecourse organised in conjunction with a local museum.

Tullie House

Tullie House is Carlisle’s finest visitor attraction with a wide range of features, exhibitions and artefacts all brought together in one impressive museum and art gallery. There are five fantastic galleries with interactive games and activities which help to bring 2000 years of Border History alive.

Roman Frontier Gallery

The Roman Frontier Gallery opened recently and is receiving national and local interest. It promotes the western end of Hadrian’s Wall and describes Carlisle’s 400 years of Roman occupation. Some of the fantastic objects to see are on loan from the British Museum.

I was fascinated by some of the amazing exhibits which the outreach team brought with them to Carlisle Racecourse. I had a go at lifting a suit of armor as worn by a Roman soldier and was amazed at how heavy it was.

Exciting Exhibitions and Events

There are some brilliant forthcoming attractions taking place at Tullie House including Family Learning Sundays ( what a good idea ). Here are a few that caught my eye :