Epiacum Heritage

Upcoming Talk - 'Whitley Castle: The Dig'
2025-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
We’re delighted to announce the final talk of 2025 in our series at The Nook, where Alastair Robertson will guide us through one of the most intriguing chapters in the story of Whitley Castle (Epiacum).

Between 1957 and 1959, a small team undertook an excavation at the Roman fort. This is a rare opportunity to hear the untold story of that excavation, learn what was recorded, what was lost, and what remains to be rediscovered.

7:00pm — Thursday 30th October 2025

The Nook Farm Shop & Café, Alston, CA9 3BG

Suggested donation: £5 per person

To book, please email info@epiacumheritage.org or call 07921 858 126.

This promises to be a fascinating evening for anyone with an interest in our local heritage, or the history of Alston Moor.

Epiacum, Corbridge and Carlisle
2025-09-25 19:00 - 21:00
!! Please note this event is now fully booked !!

Thursday 25 September, 7:00pm

The Nook Farm Shop and Café, Castle Nook, Alston CA9 3BG

Suggested donation: £5 per person

We’re delighted to announce the next talk in our events series, where Epiacum Heritage volunteer Damian Rudge will guide us through the latest discoveries and research at three remarkable Roman sites:

Epiacum – our own unique upland fort and its role in the frontier landscape.

Corbridge – an important supply base and civilian settlement.

Carlisle – the focus of ongoing community archaeology revealing a high-status Roman building.

This promises to be a fascinating evening exploring how these sites connect and what they can tell us about life on the edge of the Roman Empire.

✨ Why join us?

Hear an accessible update on cutting-edge archaeological work.

Discover how research across the region helps us understand Epiacum’s story.

Support Epiacum Heritage with your presence and donation.

To book your place, please email info@epiacumheritage.org or call 07921 858 126.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Recent Discoveries at Carlisle Cricket Club
2025-08-28 07:00 - 21:00
We’ve got something special coming up for history lovers!

On Thursday 28 August, we’re welcoming Frank Giecco – the Archaeological Director behind Uncovering Roman Carlisle – to share the latest finds from the incredible excavation of the Roman bathhouse in Carlisle. This is a rare chance to hear the inside story from the person leading the dig!

It’s happening at The Nook Farm Shop & Café in Alston, starting at 7pm. We’re asking for a suggested donation of £5 to support our work, and booking ahead is recommended as spaces are limited.

If you’d like to join us, drop us an email at info@epiacumheritage.org or call 07921 858 126.

We can’t wait to see some of you there!

Medieval Banquet
2024-10-18 19:30 - 23:59
The year is 1560 in the late Medieval era and life in the South Tyne Valley is hard! With cross border turmoil and ongoing disputes between “the clans” , our Medieval Banquet is an opportunity to settle differences , to uncover enemies in our midst, to celebrate a hard-won harvest – and most importantly, pay the Michaelmas land rent to the visiting Lady of the Manor!

Come and join us at Alston Town Hall for an evening of mirth and merriment in the presence of your local neighbours, music-makers and the “Lady of the Manor” herself!

Tickets include a welcome drink and 3 course meal (please let us know if you have allergens or require the Veggie option).

Of course, you can add to the hilarity by dressing up and getting into the medieval spirit of things.

There will be a raffle and fundraising games (all optional) and a bar, run by our Friends at The Hive at Nenthead.

Please see the attached poster for details of how to book!

We expect tickets to sell well so please don’t miss out!

Epi-sheep has arrived!
2024-09-01 08:00 - 17:00
Epiacum Heritage and the Nook Farm Shop and Café are pleased to host one of the Illuminated Sheep from the Hadrian’s Wall Arts Trail 2024 which returns to Northumberland as the now famous flock form a new Art Trail from the East to West of Hadrian’s Wall.

Epiacum Rocks
2024-08-20 17:00 - 21:00
Ian Jackson works for the British Geological Survey as a Field Geologist.He is the author of ‘Northumberland, Cumbria and Durham Rocks’The event will consist of a geological walk around Epiacum, followed by an illustrated talk about the geological profile of the area, its natural resources and their exploitation through history.

Please book a place in advance

Festival of Archaeology
2024-07-25 00:00 - 2024-07-26 23:59 | Epiacum Roman Fort, Epiacum Roman Fort, Kirkhaugh, Northumberland, CA9 3BG, United Kingdom
Epiacum Heritage is pleased to be able to contribute to the nationwide “Festival of Archaeology” event. We have two days of activity planned on site at the Roman fort of Epiacum.

Please see the attached flyer for details.

Trustees and volunteers will be available to share our recent progress plus offer guided walks and activities across the two days. Why not pop in and say hello?

If you’re at all able to, please come and be part of our event. We will be sharing an update here for those that are unable to attend .

Molehill Survey – Finds Action Day
2023-05-27 10:00 - 16:00
https://epiacumheritage.org/blog/post/molehill-survey-finds-action-day/

Molehill Survey 2023 - Day Five
2023-04-22 10:00 - 16:00
For more information on the event please see the project page here

Molehill Survey 2023 - Day Four
2023-04-21 10:00 - 16:00

Molehill Survey 2023 - Day Three
2023-04-08 08:00 - 17:00

Molehill Survey 2023 - Day Two
2023-04-07 10:00 - 16:00

Molehill Survey 2023 - Day One
2023-04-06 10:00 - 16:00

Landscape Masterclass - Reading the landscape
2022-08-12 19:00 - 2022-08-14 16:00
Epiacum Heritage are delighted to announce the return of Landscape Masterclasses postponed since 2019 due to Covid 19.

Our popular Basic Landscape Masterclass, hosted by Epiacum Heritage in partnership with SharedPast, will be held over the weekend of 12th – 14th August 2022. The weekend will follow the usual format of a Friday evening presentation and meal followed by two days on the Roman Fort of Epiacum. The course will conclude mid to late afternoon on the Sunday.

Can we remind all attendees to come equipped with appropriate clothing to cope with the North Pennines climate!

We are taking bookings for this event now. Please download the application form below and follow the instructions on the document.

We are expecting a high demand for this course, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis which is defined as a completed application form and receipt of deposit. Upon receipt of a completed booking form we will send you details of how to pay your deposit.

Once the course is full we may allow a few more bookings (without the need for a deposit) to form a reserve list in case of any future withdrawals from the course.

Application Form

You can download the application form using the link below

Download Application Form

Landscape Masterclass - Seeing beneath the landscape
2022-05-13 19:00 - 2022-05-15 16:00
Epiacum Heritage are delighted to announce the return of Landscape Masterclasses postponed since 2019 due to Covid 19.

Our first event, a Geophysics Masterclass in partnership with SharedPast, in May 2022 is already FULLY BOOKED with applicants from the courses for the 2019 season.

The course will run over the weekend of 13th/14th/15th May 2022. The weekend will follow the usual format of a Friday evening presentation and meal followed by two days on the Roman Fort of Epiacum. The course will conclude mid to late afternoon on the Sunday.

Can we remind all attendees to come equipped with appropriate clothing to cope with the North Pennines climate!

Our second event, our popular Basic Landscape Masterclass, is scheduled for 12th – 14th August 2022, see here more details. We are taking bookings for this event now.

Photography Competition - A Fort For All Seasons
2021-08-01 - 2022-09-30
Epiacum Heritage are delighted to announce the POST LOCKDOWN RELAUNCH of our photography competition ‘A Fort For All Seasons’.

Please note the completion is now closed and the winners announced, please see the details by clicking here.

The competition will now run until the 30th September 2022 and any photographs taken between 22ndSeptember 2020, the original start date, and the new closing date will be eligible.

The beautiful landscape surrounding Epiacum witnesses great extremes of weather – sometimes all in one day – and we are asking you to help us capture these changes. The competition has been divided into four categories:

History

Natural World

Rural Economy

Landscape and Environment

The aim of the competition is to produce a collection of images which convey a strong sense of place, encompassing the Epiacum Roman Fort and the immediate surrounding landscape and its associated local economy. How the themes are interpreted is up to you!

Kindly sponsored by the President of our Archaeological Advisory Board, Professor Stewart Ainsworth (from the University of Chester and Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’) the overall winner will receive a cash prize of £75, with £25 awarded to the best runner-up. Commendations may also be awarded for best junior entry (under 16 at time of submission) and best monochrome image.

The winning entries will be used to produce a calendar for 2023!

As part of the relaunch, we have increased the number of entries per competitor from 4 to 8 photographs and broadened the competition to include professional photographers.

Please click below to download details of how to enter and full conditions of entry.

RELAUNCH Epiacum 2020 Photo Competition Rules 23072021
