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Geophysical Survey

Event ID 966044

Category Recording

Type Geophysical Survey

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/966044

NN 564 006 Resistance and magnetic surveys were conducted on the fort, which had previously been known only from the air. A clear image of the defences was obtained with signs of rampart re-entrants visible at some of the gates to parallel the re-entrant 'eagle beak' variation of the normal Flavian parrot beak ditch breaks known through aerial photography. The fort lies on the W side of the Lake of Menteith and the significant band of wetland that lies along the lake shore had prevented the formation of cropmarks and precluded the identification of the eastern side of the site. The survey was able to trace the N and S ditches right to the water’s edge without detecting a turn. At the same time, signs that the eastern end of the site might represent an annexe now seem unlikely, as no sign of a ditch and/or rampart could be detected that might represent the end of the fort proper, and signs of what might really be an annexe were discovered at the other end of the site, attached to the fort's SW corner. The fort therefore seems likely to be significantly bigger than had been thought, at c3.6ha over the inner ditch. Faint traces of internal buildings were revealed and faint suggestions from the air that the principia was sited in such a way that the fort faced W towards the lake, but with the retentura significantly smaller than the praetentura, were confirmed.

Outside the fort, clear images were obtained of parts of the two temporary camps, already known to exist on the site, with what are probably pits showing in the Stracathro type camp to the fort's S. A road was detected heading S, along with a number of possible roundhouse features and a c40 x 30m rectangular enclosure. There were large expanses of rig and furrow cultivation, both inside and outside the fort.

Archive: The Roman Gask Project

Funder: The Roman Gask Project

The Roman Gask Project

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