Camelon - Ardoch - Strageath - Cargill Roman Road

NO02SW 18 From 0117 2000 to 0499 2192.

Incorporates site no. NO02SW 105.

Christison postulates that the chain of "posts" which runs close to the modern road, as far as a point just W of Dupplin, would suggest that the course of the Roman road in that stretch was more or less coincident with this modern road. Crawford (1949) notes that, where the modern road takes a bend to the N, there appears to be the track of the Roman road maintaining the same alignment and heading E. This takes the form of a stony belt running across a ploughed field, but it disappears after reaching the E end of the field. Margary (1957), who states that the modern road is on the line of the Roman road until close to the E end of the Gask Woods, observes that the existence of a short piece of agger would suggest that the road may have turned NE towards Tibbermore and the next Roman fort at Bertha, situated two and a half miles N of Perth, by the River Tay. However, there are no extant traces of the road on this line. It seems likely that the road was heading E towards Perth and Bertha Fort, but no traces of it have been found E of Dupplin.

According to Christison, Pennant described the road near Dupplin as being 24 feet wide and "formed with great stones still visible in many places."

D Christison 1900; O G S Crawford 1949; I D Margary 1957.

The course is generally accepted along the Gask ridge as following the present road. It appears to have turned NE to cross the Tay at Bertha (NO02NE 25).

The area around Huntingtower and Tibbermore was investigated from the air and on the ground by Flt. Lt. Bradley in 1941, but Crawford (1949) concludes that nothing he saw here can be regarded as certain.

Information from (DJC) July 1965.

O G S Crawford 1949.

NO 0117 2000 to NO 0253 2058 Present road on line of Roman road (WDJ).

NO 0253 2060 to NO 0476 2161 There is no trace of the road (WDJ).

This is a possible alignment. The boundary may be significant (DJC).

NO 0476 2161 to NO 0499 2192 There is no trace of the road (WDJ).

Alternative possibilities:

NO 0279 2083 An old boundary bank c4m wide with wet ditch either side. Bank composed of clay soil, no metalling (WDJ).

"A short piece of agger continuing the course of the road where this now turns a little to the E" (Margary 1957).

NO 0279 2083 to NO 0330 2134 There is no trace of the road (WDJ).

"Road turns NE here towards Tibbermore" (Margary 1957).

NO 0423 2133 to NO 0455 2175 Straight parallel lines but alignment seems improbable (RAF Aerial photographs 541/A/396 frame no. 3013-4, 1948).

NO 0432 2143 to NO 0456 2176 There is no trace of the road (WDJ).

NO 0379 2193 to NO 0416 2230 Cropmark on a possible line of the road, but not convincing (RAF Aerial photographs 541/A/396/ frame no. 3014-5, 1948).

There is no trace of the road (WDJ).

Visited by OS (DJC) 13 July 1965, (WDJ) 1 and 2 November 1965.

I D Margary 1957.

Cropmarks indicate the line of the road. Beyond the watchtower at NO 029 207 (NO02SW 8) the road continued for c. 1.3km and then inclined sharply to the NE, its course followed by later hollow ways and traceable for c. 2.4km. (Information from G S Maxwell.)

S S Frere 1987.