Archaeology Notes

Event ID 693460

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/693460

NO89NW 1 centred 82970 99380

(Centred NO 8297 9938) Normandykes (NAT) Roman Camp (R)

OS 6" map, (1959).

NO89NW 1.01 NO 834 997 Excavation

The Roman Marching Camp of Normandykes was proved by excavation in 1935, by I A Richmond and J MacIntyre (Richmond 1936). It encloses an area of 120 acres and is probably Antonine or Severan in date. It has six gates defended by tutuli (St Joseph 1958).

M V Taylor and R S Collingwood 1936; J K S St Joseph 1958.

No really convincing remains can be seen on the surface but the N rampart is no doubt represented, for its E part by the bank bounding the wood on the N.

O G S Crawford 1949.

The site of this Roman Camp lies on top of the broad hill above the old ford across the River Dee (NO89NW 7) No traces of the west, south, and east sides of the camp can be seen in cultivated fields. However, in the latter side from the bend of the wood at NO 8340 9949, a mutilated earth bank, with a slight ditch on its east side, runs northwards along the edge of the wood to its NE corner; but this bank appears to continue south-westwards from the bend following the edge of the wood, and it therefore may be a later plantation bank. From the NE corner, a broad bank with a ditch on its north side, runs westwards along the edge of the wood. Here, the bank is 6.0m wide and c.2.0m high, with a flat top c.3.0m broad; the ditch is 4.0m wide. The bank deteriorates as it runs westwards and assumes the appearance of a plantation bank as it approaches the NW corner of the wood. From a point where a stream cuts through the bank, c.400m west of the NE corner of the wood, there is no trace of the ditch. From the NW corner of the wood, a scarp c.1.4m high continues to the NW corner of the camp. No features were noted within the area of the camp.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (W D J) 27 November 1961; Visible on J K S St Joseph air photograph D58-9: V 19 and V 17.

Visible on air photographs AAS/93/12/G23/27-30. Copies held by Grampian Regional Council.

Information from M Greig, Grampian Regional Council, March 1994.

This camp is situated at an altitude of between 50 and 75m OD on top of the broad hill above the old across the River Dee.

[Air photographic imagery listed].

NMRS, MS/712/36.