Excavation
Date 30 March 2000 - 4 April 2000
Event ID 559455
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/559455
(Formerly described under NS57SW 65.12)
Centred NS 5046 7225
NS 5047 7229 (centre) an archaeological evaluation was conducted on the line of the Antonine Wall at Cleddans Road, in advance of the laying of an underground electricity cable. Two trenches were excavated on either side of Cleddans Road running from the S limit to the N limit of the Scheduled area, although Cleddans Road itself was not excavated.
The presence of the rampart and military way was confirmed to the S of the road and the excavations confirmed the presence of the N edge of the ditch and the outer mound N of the road (within the Clydebank and District Golf Course).
The rampart was located 1.9m to the S of the field boundary, with the military way located c 18m to the S of it. The base of the rampart measured 5m wide and was formed of two parallel kerbs of single-coursed, large angular blocks of yellow sandstone, between which was contained a foundation deposit of medium to small-sized angular sandstone cobbles. The turf component of the rampart was located immediately above the cobble foundation base and kerbstones and was 0.28m deep. Deposits of collapsed turf were identified immediately N and S of the rampart, in the latter area also sealing an old ground surface.
The military way comprised a slightly concave depression, c 4m wide by 0.1m deep, which contained a spread of small to medium-sized pebbles. A narrow ditch measuring c 0.35m wide by 0.29m deep was present immediately to the S of, and running parallel to, the stone surface.
The N cut of the ditch was present c 1.8m N of the fence on the N side of Cleddans Road, with the outer mound located c 2m N of the ditch. The ditch was excavated to a depth of c 0.75m below subsoil level. The rest of the ditch appears to lie beneath Cleddans Road. The outer mound measured 11m wide and survived to c 0.24m high, sealing beneath it an old ground surface. Two slots were located cut into the summit of the outer mound, c 0.9m apart, but are likely to be of relatively modern date.
A report has been lodged with the NMRS (MS/726/194)
Sponsor: Scottish Power plc.
R Strachan 2000.
