Completion of the full draft of a monograph entitled 'Hadrian's Wall: A life history'

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Introduction: HW is one of Britain's most important ancient monuments & also the most prominent of the works which defined the frontiers of the Roman empire. Its international significance is secured by a long tradition of scholarly study & its designation as a World Heritage Site. It plays a major cultural role in northern England today, signified by the use of the title 'Hadrian's Wall Country' for the central & most impressive section of its physical remains. It also plays a vital role in the economy of this region (Management Plan 2009). Owing to the scholarly study of this monument since the C16, it has become the best understood frontier of the Roman world. The major Output from this grant is a monograph which will explore the lifecycle of the Wall. This will include: c. 100,000 words, c. 70 illustrations & a 600-reference bibliography. It will communicate approaches & materials derived from the major research project, Tales of the Frontier. Arising from the historical research undertaken by the applicant (PI), it was not a specified Output from this previous grant (see case for support). Research Context: Recent books have explored the Roman construction & use of HW (e.g. Breeze 2006; Breeze & Dobson 2000 & Symonds & Mason 2009). These stress HW's elemental 'Romanness', its relative completeness & coherence as a Roman frontier work of world significance (Management Plan 2009). Its historical origin and context, constituent elements & the exactitude of detailed knowledge are emphasized (e.g. Symonds & Mason 2009). This significant body of knowledge, built up since the C16, serves to alienate HW from its post-Roman landscape and culture (Witcher et al in press). The fame of HW, recognized at least as early as the C14, has led it to play a particular cultural role, creating a rich body of artistic, mythological, antiquarian & archaeological material; recent archaeological approaches, however, sideline alternative valuations. This book explores HW's powerful & contradictory significances through time, including ideas of permanence & decay, domination & resistance, exclusion & commonality, stability & mobility. It draws on a wide variety of sources to address the life & after-life of HW, its ongoing destruction & recreation from the C2 to the C21.Methodology: The research methodology, deriving from Tales, draws on histories, handbooks, maps, excavation reports, classical texts, inscriptions, novels, poems, letters, paintings & photographs. A range of roles for the Wall are defined, in popular, mythical, artistic & scholarly accounts. To place the rise of scholarly knowledge in a broader context, mythical knowledge, folklore, literary history & art history are explored. Using a number of theoretical approaches deriving from archaeology, classics, literary studies, history & geography, the Wall's life is narrated, drawing, in particular, on approaches to monument biography, reception studies & chorography.A number of tales associated with HW are identified, including its roles as: - a symbol of Roman imperial might;- a symbol of early medieval Christian identity (Gildas & Bede);- a genealogical frontier in the medieval border conflicts between England & Scotland;- a conceptual boundary for the definition of lowland (English) 'civility';- an indicator of ancestral valour for those living to its north;- a major ancient monument which played a role in the formulation of antiquarian & archaeological methodologies;- a conceptual model for Britain's colonial frontiers in India & Africa; and - a contemporary inclusive monument for multi-cultural Britain.Audiences: Include archaeologists, classicists & cultural geographers. The book also has significance for planners & heritage managers. Posting drafts on the Tales project website will enable a range of audiences to read chapters in progress (see case for support).