Ilkley's Roman Fort

The Roman fort at Olicana (possibly called Olenacum or Verbeia) was sited at Ilkley, and its ramparts and walls may still be seen. In its place now sits the parish church and town’s Manor House Museum, but it is not impossible to imagine hundreds of hobnailed, legionary boots tramping about that perimeter. Originally constructed ten years after the Fall of Jerusalem in AD80, it was rebuilt several times until the Romans finally departed these shores in 410. From here, infantry and cavalrymen would have set off to visit the neighbouring fort at Elslack (near the roundabout at which the A59 and A56 converge) and on, past our chapel to the fort at Ribchester. To them, Britannia must have seemed a wild, barbarous place, with uncivilised, uncouth natives. Yet one day, this very isle would rule an empire that far exceeded theirs in terms of geography, and would even liberate Italia and Rome from German occupation. Perhaps British imperialists in 1900 found it hard to imagine the sun setting on their empire, but set it did. All empires come to end, all nation's greatness crumble and decay, as Mr Putin is soon to realise. Only Christ’s kingdom grows and doesn’t shrink, only His imperium shines with ever greater degrees of brilliance and lustre.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Psalm 145:11-13