Archaeology Notes

Event ID 746908

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/746908

NS94SW 7.00 9280 4420

This remarkable complex of Roman works, the most extensive in Lanarkshire, is situated on a gently undulating gravel plateau, now largely occupied by the farm of Corbiehall, about 1.5km SW of Carstairs village. The whole of the S side of the plateau, overlooking the flood-plain on the N bank of the River Clyde, is bounded by an escarpment 15m high, along the top of which ran the Roman road leading from Tweeddale into Lower Clydesdale and Avondale; the approach on all other sides is across level ground or up slopes of only moderate steepness. The strategic importance of the site, astride a major land-route and commanding wide prospects along the various natural corridors that meet at this point, was recognised by the Romans, who in both the Flavian and Antonine periods. The superimposed remains of their successive forts lie on the edge of the escarpment 60m SE of Corbiehall farmhouse. Although almost the entire perimeter of the defences can be traced above ground, the only substantial remains are on the E, where the rampart survives to a maximum height of 1.5m above the level of the interior. Most of our knowledge of the history of the fort derives from excavations carried out between 1937 and 1955 (A S Robertson 1964), but air photographs have revealed the presence on the same plateau of at least three temporary camps and four enclosures (see NS94SW 7.02- 7.06 and 16) all now totally levelled by cultivation.

RCAHMS 1978

NS94SW 7.01 928 442 Roman Fort

NS94SW 7.02 922 447 Roman Temporary Camp

NS94SW 7.03 928 446 Roman Temporary Camp

NS94SW 7.04 923 445 Roman Temporary Camp

NS94SW 7.05 9257 4429 Enclosure

NS94SW 7.06 931 445 Roman Temporary Camp

NS94SW 7.07 930 442 Eastern Annexes; Enclosures

NS94SW 7.08 928 440 Southern Annexe

NS94SW 7.09 927 442 Western Annexes (possible)

Other sites in the vicinity include an extensive field system (NS94SW 16), an enclosure and cropmarks at Corbiehall (NS94SW 5), linear cropmarks and pits at Westbank (NS94SW 24); as well as Roman Roads leading from the fort to Bothwellhaugh and Balmuildy (?) (NS94SW 39); S to Roberton (NS94SW 45); to Peebles (NS94SW 40.00); and northwards (NS94SW 43). A possible Roman road heads towards Castle Greg (NS94SW 42). There are nearby Roman Temporary Camps at Carstairs Mains (NS94SW 22) and Cleghorn (NS94NW 2).

Information from RCAHMS (RHM) 28 June 1994

48 Roman coins have been found on this site between 1984 and 1987.

J D Bateson 1990