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29 October 2014
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    NATURE
    You are in: Beds, Herts and Bucks > Nature > Walks > From a river to the Romans and beyond > Walk past wall
    whatever
    The largest bit of remaining Roman wall
    You can now follow the path up along the length of this part of the wall. When you get to the top retrace your steps to continue on the circular walk.
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    The area that you are now walking through was full of burials, because people were buried outside the city walls of the town, something which was universal in the Roman empire.

    They hadn't really got very much space inside the walls, so they buried the dead outside, on the basis that they were not going to be attacked!

    At the top of this stretch of wall there are two sets of banks leading up to it and reason for this is also down to the lay of the land.

    This part of the city was at the top of the southern slope so it’s the one part of the town where you could be overlooked and an enemy could get an advantage. Therefore, there are two sets of banks there, with a walkway along the top of the wall, a bit like a Medieval castle.

    At the top of the slope you can see the terrain is still going up beyond the wall. So if you go up to the little bridge you can see the double bank and ditch system.

    It wouldn't have been easy to get in. The Romans wouldn’t just have been waving at you, they would throw everything they'd got at you. It wouldn’t have been impregnable but it would've been very difficult.

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    map of the walk© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Map not reproduced to scale.

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    Audio Listen to Andy Webb from the Ver Valley Society

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    SEE ALSO
    GraphicBritish Isles: A Natural History - local events
    GraphicWalk Picture Gallery 1
    GraphicWalk Picture Gallery 2
    GraphicWalk Picture Gallery 3
    Graphic Sopwell Trail Gallery
    Sopwell Trail
    More about St Albans Abbey
    Download wallpapers
    Send an e-card
    On bbc.co.uk
    GraphicBBC Berkshire Walk Through Time
    GraphicBBC Cambridgeshire Walk Through Time
    GraphicBBC Essex Walk Through Time
    GraphicBBC Science and Nature
    BBC History
    Dawn Gallery
    Habitats
    Look around wildlife
    Wildlife Articles
    Wildfacts
    Rest of the web
    GraphicHertfordshire Countryside Management Service
    GraphicHertfordshire Geological Society
    GraphicVer Valley Society
    GraphicVerulamium Website
    GraphicVerulamium Museum
    GraphicHerts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust
    GraphicSt Albans attractions
    GraphicSt Albans District Council Tourism
    GraphicBritish Geological Survey
    GraphicBat Conservation Trust
    GraphicEnglish Nature
    GraphicDefra
    GraphicFroglife
    GraphicRSPB
    GraphicThe National Trust
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites
    On Science & Nature
    Fox illustration, on Science & Nature
    Grey Squirrel
    Landscape and local history
    Foxes
    Visit Open2.net's Natural History section
    Snail
    bullet pointFlint
    bullet pointChalk
    bullet pointIce Age

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