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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 691572

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/691572

NO66NW 18 centred NO 61700 65750

See also NO66NW 13.

For circular enclosure at Smiddyhill (NO 6145 6586) within the scheduled area, see NO66NW 89.

(NO 6170 6575) A large Roman fort, one of the series of auxiliary forts screening the Agricolan legionary fortress at Inchtuthill (NO13NW 5), was identified from air photos in 1957. Subsequent photography has revealed that is is defended on the NW and SW by two ditches and on the SE by three. The steep river-scarp above the bank of the West Water now cuts into the north angle.

The dimensions within the ditches are estimated at nearly 600' NE-SW by 475', an area of some 6 acres. An enclosure 200' in depth attached to the southern half of the SW front would appear to be an annexe defended by a single broad ditch. Much of it lies within the area of the temporary camp (NO66NW 13).

In 1957 St Joseph sectioned the outer ditch on the SE side revealing the typical V-shaped profile and establishing its dimensions as 14' wide and 7' deep. He deduced that the gate on that side, which divides the length in a ratio of two to three, was the 'porta principalis dextra' and that the fort therefore faced NE. Dr Robertson, however, in excavating an extension to the burial ground which lies within the fort in 1969 discovered what she interpreted as a barrack-block suggesting that the fort faced NW or SE.

Finds from the excavations include Flavian Samian and an 'As' of 86 AD in mint condition identical with some found at Inchtuthill.

J K St Joseph 1958; 1961; A S Robertson 1969.

No ground trace

Visited by OS (A A) 8 September 1971.

Scheduled with NO66NW 13 as Stracathro, Roman fort and camp.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 22 March 2002.

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