Did you see the light? I did, albeit a dress rehearsal a few weeks back for the big event along Hadrian’s Wall at the weekend.

Illuminating the Wall set ablaze the entire 84-mile length of the wall for the first time in its century-spanning history. Carlisle hosted Welcoming the Light, a free event to welcome the flaming torches to northern Cumbria.

You can see my story, published in Saturday’s Daily Express, above as a Wordle.

Roman heritage

The Emperor Hadrian first ordered the construction of the wall in AD122 and it symbolised the dominance of the Empire for some 300 years.

Unesco listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Tim Padley, the Keeper of Archaeology at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery explains its history thus: “The wall was partly a frontier to control people, much like the Berlin Wall or the US-Mexico border today.”

Border control

The illumination was designed as a one-off public art event.

But, more importantly, it makes us think about how borders – whether ancient frontiers, or modern-day divisions – still effect lives across the world today.

Linda Tuttiett, Chief Executive of Hadrian’s Wall Heritage, says: “We hope this event will bring the Wall back into focus and encourage people to think about the effect of frontiers on communities.”

Your impressions

But were you there? And was the event the spectacle it promised to be? Please post your thoughts below.