Watherston

NT44NW 8 4330 4602.

(NT 4330 4602) Fort (NR)

OS 6" map (1958)

This fort, locally called 'Roman Rings', is situated on the SE slope of Watherston Hill. It is roughly D-shaped on plan, bounded by a 13ft wide rampart, standing 5 1/2 ft above the inner ditch, which is 13ft wide and 3 1/2 ft deep. The entrance, 8ft wide, is in the SE. There are indications of circular constructions in the interior, and there are traces of an inner stone wall, 3ft to 25ft from the inner edge of the ditch. There is a breastwork outside the rampart on the NE, and two circular constructions between it and the rampart.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1913; Name Book 1852

The outer rampart has been a boulder-faced rubble wall, while the inner wall, which is now almost entirely destroyed, appears to have been of solid stone construction. The interior is very disturbed, but the circular construction in the NE angle is a quarry-pit, as are the two others shown on the plan outside and to the NE of the enclosure. The three supposed huts ranged against the W wall are merely hollows of no definite shape and could well be quarries, while the others tentatively indicated on the plan are highly suspect. There are, however, seven or eight scooped courts in the interior (arranged in three tiers), only two of which (i.e. the courts) are properly shown on the plan. The upper, or S, sides are excavated into sloping ground and are generally crescentic on plan. Each one opens on to a member of the next tier at the front. These courts could be platforms for huts, but no definite hut walling is visible.

The site lies on sloping ground immediately below the crest of a spur; although larger, it resembles the work at Over Hartside (NT45SW 7 - Settlement).

RCAHMS MS., visited 1954

A settlement as described by RCAHMS.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 18 January 1965

The bank and inner ditch of this settlement are very well preserved and the inturned entrance is clearly defined. The layout of the sloping interior is confused by quarrying, disturbance and thick undergrowth. However, a number of the levelled areas or courts can be identified. Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (MJF) 20 May 1979

(NT 4330 4602) Settlement (NR)

OS 1:10000 map (1981)

Photographed by the RCAHMS in 1980 - colour transparencies (listed as a fort).

(Undated) information in NMRS.