02/10/2026
🎂 Happy 75th Birthday, 🎂
Today, 2 October, we are celebrating the birthday of music legend Sting, whose hit musical The Last Ship was inspired by the shipbuilding communities of the River Tyne.
At Segedunum, you can explore the history that helped shape stories like these, from the Roman fort that once guarded the edge of the Empire to the shipyards that transformed Wallsend centuries later.
Do you know what links Sting, shipbuilding and Segedunum?
⚓ 1. The Last Ship
Sting's acclaimed musical tells the story of a community bound together by the shipyards and the people whose lives revolved around them.
🏠 2. The Roman fort disappeared beneath a sea of houses
By the early 20th century, Segedunum was hidden beneath streets of terraced homes built for shipyard workers and their families.
📸 3. See the area before excavation
Our exhibition, Streets Above, featuring historic photographs is back on display, showing what Wallsend looked like when homes, shops and industry covered the buried Roman fort.
🕰️ 4. Find the Swan Hunter Timeclock
One of the most iconic objects at Segedunum, the timeclock is a reminder of the thousands of workers who clocked in and out of the famous Wallsend shipyard.
🚢 5. Wallsend built some of the world's largest ships
Among them was the giant tanker Esso Northumbria, one of the largest ships ever launched on the River Tyne and a symbol of Tyneside's shipbuilding achievements.
From Roman soldiers to shipyard workers, Segedunum tells the story of generations of people, who lived and worked on or near here.
