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Excavation

Date 1978 - 1982

Event ID 570439

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/570439

In 1978 and 1979 the fort bath house and latrine block, overall 38m long and 5.5m wide, and the rear range of rooms of the headquarters building (principia) were re-excavated for permanent display. The east-west dimension of the headquarters was 24.3m with the 3 rear rooms, the centre one of which was identified as the regimental chapel, all showing two phase floor levels and dressed sandstone walling, surviving to a height of up to 4 courses. Terracing had been required to accommodate the building on this side (south) of Bar Hill. The inter vallum street adjacent to the bathhouse and roadways along the west, south and east sides of the headquarters were also investigated. Many small finds confirmed a mid 2nd century date for the site.

A ditch of the suggested earlier "fortlet" underlying the fort was sectioned, and although no finds were made an Agricolan date is now thought doubtful, especially in view of excavation results of a similar enclosure at Croy Hill (cf NS77NW 10).

Excavation is likely to resume in 1980.

J J Walker 1974; L J F Keppie 1978; 1979; R Goodburn 1979; DES 1976

Excavation in 1980 concentrated on the crosshall area of the headquarters building and the underlying "fortlet" ditches. The crosshall measured internally 21.8m by 6.7m with clay flooring and a later tribunal inserted in the south west corner. North of the crosshall lay a rectangular courtyard 21.8m by 11m internally with post pits suggesting a sequence of lean-to structures against its east and south sides. A recent circular stone platform and path around the well head was removed.

Further sectioning of the underlying "fortlet" produced no further dating evidence, but proved an internal rampart, circa 2.5m wide.

L Keppie 1980

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