Overview
Our “Hadrian’s Wall 180” is reconstructing the entirety of the Roman Wall system as it appeared in the year 180CE.
It will allow flight simulation enthusiasts to experience the world’s first complete reconstruction of the entire Hadrian’s Wall system as it appeared at its peak.
Using individually modelled structures from ovens to fort HQ buildings it will comprise:
- 73 miles of wall
- 140 miles of earthworks and obstacles
- 152 turrets
- 78 Milecastles (small forts)
- 18 complete legionary forts with villages
- 4 bridges
- The complete Roman town of Coria (Corbridge)
- Each structure accurately placed according to the available data
- Remodelled and retextured landscapes to remove modern towns, roads, buildings and quarries
The entire system is being modelled using the latest archaeological and historical research and is based on specialist advice from collaborators at Tyne & Wear Museums and Newcastle University.
By using Microsoft’s Flight Simulator we are able to:
- place the Wall into a highly accurate digital twin of the planet, with topography accurate to 2cms, without having to model the actual landscape itself
- manipulate the modern landscape as it appears in the sim to create earthworks, remove buildings, road and vegetation
- add dynamic, envionmental effects such as woodsmoke and torch light
- create customise weather conditrions to depict the Wall at different times of day and year
Since January 2024 we have been building engagement with the Microsoft Flight Simulator community. This community now numbers over 15,000,000 gamers worldwide, with a specific subset who are interested in the intersection between low level general avaition. bush flying, virtual “sightseeing” and heritage.
As the project has progressed, we have become connected to the wider research community working in classical reception and Roman fronteir studies. Through these contacts we are now providing imagery to help test ideas around intervisibility alng the Wall and its psychological impact.
We are therefore increasingly interested in how we can leverage the power of the simulator as a tool to support wider heritage engagement, education and research initiatives.
As proof of concept, we are currently providing imagery to support research into intervisibity of sites along Hadrian’s Wall and working on proposals to reconstruct Worlebury Iron Age Hillfort in Somerset and the Gosport Lines nineteenth century defensive system in Hampshire as part of publicly funded heritage interpretation projects.
For further information, the links below will take you to:
Project lead
Mr Richard Blows
