Archaeology Notes

Event ID 722278

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/722278

NT71SE 15 768 125.

(Centred NT 7677 1251) Fort (NR)

Roman Training Siegeworks (R)

OS 6" map, (1962).

On top of Woden Law there is a notable group of remains comprising (i) a native fort with multiple ramparts (I - III, see RCAHMS 1956 plan, fig.197); (ii) earthworks T, W. X, Y and Z, identified as Roman siege- works, and in view of the small size of the fort and other reasons, considered to have been built and used for practice rather than actual siege operations; and (iii) a small enclosure, Q (described on NT71SE 48).

A section cut across the defences of the fort (noted as a settlement by Feachem) in 1950 revealed three structural periods. It was originally defended (barring a palisade) by a wall (I on plan) enclosing an oval area meauring about 400' N-S by 140'. This is analogous with the earliest stone defences at Hownam Rings (NT71NE 1) which were obsolete in the late 1st century AD. Ramparts IIA and IIB, with a medial rock-cut ditch, which were deliberately destroyed soon after their construction, also paralleled at Hownam Rings, were probably erected immediately before the Agricolan invasion of Scotland.

The fort was abandoned during the Roman occupation of Scotland, until, in the 3rd century AD or thereby, the place was re-fortified by wall III, the innermost structure on the hill; within it are slight traces of four probable huts. The fort is everywhere enclosed, except on the steep W slope and the steepest part of the N slope, by earthwork 'Z', consisting of two banks between three ditches. This, in turn, is enveloped by outer lines, made up of three independent works, sometimes double and sometimes single, of which 'Y' runs across the S, and 'W' and 'X' across the E face of the hill. 'Y' is over-ridden by 'X'. All these works are incomplete, and show signs of having been erected in short stretches, Sections were cut by the RCAHMS, who gave a full description.

Traverse 'T' comprises a ditch of lunate plan enfolding an almost circular mound, which closely resembles the well-known traverses in the N front of the S Roman siege-camp at Birrenswark.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1952; R W Feachem 1965.

Fort, etc, as described above.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 13 September 1960.

Woden Law and its associated works are as described by RCAHMS except that the outer annex IID appears to be unfinished. This is evident from the generally ragged and insubstantial nature of the enclosing bank and ditch together with the fact that it stops short of the Roman siegeworks on the S.

Visited by OS (BS) 16 September 1976.