Archaeology Notes

Event ID 667305

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/667305

NJ36SE 8 355 611

See also NJ36SE 20.

(Area: NJ 355 613) A probable Roman, V-shaped ditch, extending 975' on a straight N-S alignment was excavated in 1967. It was 7' wide and 3' deep where best preserved, had been cut in loose gravel and the east side was consistently steeper than the west. The filling showed that the ditch had lain open until silt and earth accummulated to the angle of rest. The silt was overlaid by 2' of plough-soil, presumbably post 18th century. Since bottle fragments dated to between 1770 and 1780 lay between the separate layers. No gate was found. The ditch is well-sited to from the east side of a defended enclosure, centred on the area NJ 355 613, and and possibly as large as 900' by 1200' if allowance is made for river erosion. It would be protected on the west by the Spey and on the east by a marshy hollow formerly a morass. Position and profile of ditch suggest strongly that the site is Roman, in which case it would be 'a Flavian camp, either Stracathro-type or '30 acre'.

J K St Joseph 1969.

No surface indication of this camp. According to Keiller (I Keillar, secretary Elgin Soc) who saw the area some time after the excavation the ditch runs S from NJ 3555 6113. Three of St. Joseph's excavation trenches across it were still open at the time of his visit, but have since been filled in and the area ploughed and cultivated.

Visited by OS (A A) 19 May 1971.

(Location cited as NJ 3550 6130 and cited as Site of Regional Significance). Roman camp, with V-shaped ditch cut into loose gravel, the E side being steeper than the W. Trench excavation showed that the ditch had lain open until c. 1770 as bottle fragments lay between silt layer and 0.61m depth of ploughsoil. No gateway found. Possibly Flavian: either Stracathro-type or 30-acre. [Air photographic imagery listed].

NMRS, MS/712/35.