Look ahead and you’ll spot a long, sturdy wall made from reddish and brown stones, stretching across the grass and shaded in spots by chestnut trees. It almost looks like something out of a time-travel movie-thick, weathered, and nearly ancient. If you’re standing on a grassy patch under the dappled shadow of the trees with wildflowers at your feet, you’re in exactly the right spot.
Welcome to Isca Dumnoniorum-Exeter’s Roman secret with a name that’s a bit of a tongue-twister! Imagine standing here almost two thousand years ago. There’s the scent of woodsmoke in the air, and you hear soldiers shouting and hammers hitting timber as the Romans build their massive fortress.
Romans built their mighty fort right here around AD 55, where their legion-about 5,000 strong-camped out while planning their next adventures (and maybe thinking about their next meal). This wall you see marked the edge of their world. Around them, the town began to buzz with traders, families, and children running after each other-maybe even sneaking glances at the fierce Roman soldiers.
Now, here’s a fishy fact-The name ‘Isca’ comes from the river that flows nearby, and it means “full of fish”! Picture the river Exe bubbling along, packed with silver fish, while Romans haul their catches back to the fort. Sometimes I wonder if the local cats ever tried to sneak in for a midnight snack...
Look closely at the stones-some have stood here since those Roman days, watching as Exeter changed, grew, and thrived around them. If you start feeling a bit like a Roman yourself, just remember-watch out for cockfighting pits and keep your sandals dry! Ready to march on to the next stop? Let’s go, legionary!
