Carriden
Bath House (Roman), Ditch (Period Unassigned), Paving (Period Unassigned), Saw Mill (Period Unassigned), Water Wheel (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Carriden
Classification Bath House (Roman), Ditch (Period Unassigned), Paving (Period Unassigned), Saw Mill (Period Unassigned), Water Wheel (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 49590
Site Number NT08SW 7.01
NGR NT 0233 8076
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/49590
- Council Falkirk
- Parish Bo'ness And Carriden
- Former Region Central
- Former District Falkirk
- Former County West Lothian
NT08SW 7.1 0233 8076.
(NT 0233 8076) Ancient Pavement found here (NAT) (Supposed Roman)
OS 25"map, Linlithgowshire, (1856)
When sinking a shaft for a mill wheel a few years ago, at a depth of 10' or 12' from the surface the workmen found part of an ancient pavement, formed of a concrete composed of stones, sea-sand containing shells etc. It was quite hard, not unlike the asphalt pavements of some cities. The spot where it was found is now covered by one of the outhouses of Carriden House. Some of the local informants named in the ONB were present at the time of discovery. It has doubtless been a Roman work, probably part of the floor of a house or other building.
Name Book 1856.
No further information.
Visited by OS (B S) 8 March 1974.
No change.
Visited by OS (J R L) 28 February 1978.
NT 023 807 A water-powered estate sawmill was recorded in August 2006 after the removal of vegetation and some overburden. The water was diverted from the adjacent valley at a dam and fed into the mill by a stone culvert, one of whose capstones was a reused gravestone. A header pond near the mill was lined with cement and the sluice operated via chains and counterweights from inside the building. The cast iron overshot water wheel was still in situ in a substantial stone-lined pit. It was 16ft in diameter. Part of the saw bench remained along with a pit for the circular saw, but details of the drive mechanism had been lost.
The NW corner of a Roman bathhouse was found in the stack yard. The stone walls were substantial, with three courses surviving in places. Numerous broken flue-tiles and fragments of opus signinum lay in the debris. The building had been reused at some time in the 2nd century for ironworking. Later still a large defensive ditch had been dug through it.
Archive lodged with Falkirk Museum.
Sponsors: Falkirk Local History Society and Edinburgh Field Studies.
G Bailey, 2006.
Field Visit (8 March 1974)
No further information.
Visited by OS (B S) 8 March 1974.
Archaeological Evaluation (July 2006 - August 2006)
NT 023 807 A water-powered estate sawmill was recorded in August 2006 after the removal of vegetation and some overburden. The water was diverted from the adjacent valley at a dam and fed into the mill by a stone culvert, one of whose capstones was a reused gravestone. A header pond near the mill was lined with cement and the sluice operated via chains and counterweights from inside the building. The cast iron overshot water wheel was still in situ in a substantial stone-lined pit. It was 16ft in diameter. Part of the saw bench remained along with a pit for the circular saw, but details of the drive mechanism had been lost.
The NW corner of a Roman bathhouse was found in the stack yard. The stone walls were substantial, with three courses surviving in places. Numerous broken flue-tiles and fragments of opus signinum lay in the debris. The building had been reused at some time in the 2nd century for ironworking. Later still a large defensive ditch had been dug through it.
Archive lodged with Falkirk Museum.
Sponsors: Falkirk Local History Society and Edinburgh Field Studies.
G Bailey, 2006.
Excavation (July 2008 - August 2008)
NT 0233 8077 Two weeks of excavation in July–August 2008 continued the work of 2006 on the newly discovered bathhouse. The stone structure, aligned W/E, appears to have been c26m long with a timber extension to the E. It was terraced into the hill slope. At the W end was a large latrine with a robbed-out stone drain and a well-paved stone floor. Adjacent to this was a room with hypocaust whose S wall survived to a height of 1.1m, with a shelf on the inside to take the raised floor. The bases of two monolithic stone columns for the support of the floor remained in situ. The flue lay in the W wall and had cheeks on the outside to take a water tank.
Finds include a voussoir for a hollow vaulted roof and a tile with the hoof print of what may have been a deer.
The latrine drain and hypocaust were robbed out in the 12th century.
Funder: Falkirk Local History Society and Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society
Geoff Bailey, 2008
