The Romans in Eden.

by Joseph Jackson

Although the armies of Rome invaded the south of Britain in AD 43, it would be another 25 years before they reached Cumbria. The first incursion by the Romans into the Eden Valley was in the form of a rescue mission. Cartimandua, Queen of the powerful Brigante tribe, which ruled the lands from the southern Pennies to the Cheviots, had been arrested and removed from the throne by her husband, a renowned warrior called Venutius.

Cartimandua was allied to the Romans but Venutius was hostile to them. Under orders of the Roman governor Bolinus, in AD 68 soldiers moved north to rescue Cartimandua and it was during this event that they briefly entered southern Eden. In AD 69 the new governor Peteilius Cerialis ordered the invasion of the north. He commanded the 9th Legion in the east while general Agricola commanded the 20th Legion in the west. Agricola’s forces moved forward on the west of the Pennies facing hostile forces all the way. He was supported from the sea by the 2nd Audiutrix, who were the Roman version of the Royal

Marines. They would sail past the enemy and land to the rear of them, consesquently forcing them to flee. This strategy allowed Agricola to advance at a steady pace.

On reaching Cumbria, Agricola split his force and the Audiutrix sailed around the coast to land near where Maryport is today. The 20th Legion continued its march via the Lune Gorge and over Crosby Ravensworth Fell. He marched through the westside of the Eden valley arriving at Clifton Dykes where there was a large village or town of the local Carvetii tribe.

East of the Pennies, Cerialis had been facing the main forces of Venutius, finally defeating them in their fort at Stanwix near Scotch Corner. Venutius fled west over Stainmoor, probably hoping to gain fresh support from the Carvetii, but on arriving at their capital at Clifton Dykes he only found the 20th Legion waiting for him and it is not surprising that at this point there is no more mention of Venutius.

Agricola continued north to one of his marching camps at Plumpton Head. Cerialis cut west via the Tyne Valley and the 2nd Audiutrix moved inland. All three forces converged at what is now Carlisle, which was then nothing but scattered farmsteads. That effectively ended the conquest of the north of England and the governor Frontinus set about consolidating the new lands by building roads and establishing Luguvallium (Carlisle) around AD 74. For the local population, things for a time quietened down and life continued much as before but now under Roman control. The new frontier was established in the form of a Roman road from Carlisle to Corbridge (Corstopitium) with garrison forts every seven miles or so. A series of forts was also established in Eden at Tebay, Kirkby Thorpe, Brough, Brougham, Settra Park, Kirk Oswald, High Hesket and Plumpton. These early forts were constructed of timber and would not be replaced by stone forts until around AD 210. But for the next 46 years this was the shape of the frontier in our area.