Binchester fort - known as Vinovia - was build in the first Century AD to help control the surrounding area. It was one of a number of forts along the line of Dere Street, the main Roman road that ran from York up to southern Scotland and beyond. The site was chosen for its good defensive position and was in continuous military use up until the early years of the 5th Century AD. On a visit to Binchester, you can walk in the footsteps of a Roman soldier, just as he would have walked to the bath house, which is generally acknowledged to be the best preserved in the country.