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Publication Account

Date 2001

Event ID 570489

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/570489

This fort occupied one of the highest points on the line, about 120m above sea level. The N gate of the fort was situated at a break in the Antonine Wall (NS77NW 49.00), the base of which, in similar fashion to Westerwood had been laid down first, to a width of 4.3m. The fort rampart base, certainly on the W side, slightly overlapped the base of the Wall. Outside the N gate there was a brief stretch of cobbled road, although no break in the Ditch, 12m wide at this point, was evident. To the E of the fort was a 25m long "Bridge". There were two or three ditches along the S and W sides of the fort, but on the N section of the E front there was only one ditch, and there was a total absence of ditches on the S section of that front or the E section of the S front.

Remains of a stone headquarters building and a granary were discovered in the heart of the fort. A remarkable stone-built well, built over by a corner tower at a later date, was situated in the NE corner, and just outside this corner was a bath-house. Certain of the buildings show evidence of alterations and modifications. Intermittent finds on Croy Hill, including an altar to the Nymphs and characteristic building stones point to the presence of a detachment of the Sixth Legion at the fort.

Further excavations were carried out to the S and E of the fort between 1975 and 1978. Evidence of a civil settlement was discovered to the SW and on the exposed hillside to the E there were indications of agricultural and industrial activity. There were some small finds, including a storage jar holding cremated human remains and afragmented bronze armpurse. The existence of a bypass road running S of the fort was also determined.

George Macdonald had first noted in 1931 a small enclosure of about 0.75 acres, with an attached annexe of equal size to the S of it. However, his dating to the Flavian period has now been revised. A construction party of the Antonine times seems now to have been the more likely occupants, possibly soldiers building the fortlet (NS77NW 29) discovered in 1977 on a small plateau situated some 80m of the fort on Croy Hill.

AS Robertson and L Keppie 2001.

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