Loudoun Hill
Roman Fort (Roman)
Site Name Loudoun Hill
Classification Roman Fort (Roman)
Alternative Name(s) Loudounhill Sand Quarry
Canmore ID 44771
Site Number NS63NW 1
NGR NS 6059 3712
NGR Description Centred NS 6059 3712
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/44771
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish Galston
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Kilmarnock And Loudoun
- Former County Ayrshire
NS63NW 1 centred 6059 3712.
(NS 6059 3712) Roman Fort (R) (site of)
OS 25" map (1969)
(NS 6045 3710) Roman Coin found AD 1831 (NAT).
OS 25" map (1910)
In 1837, the Roman fort near Loudoun Hill was fairly well preserved; by 1938 the defences had been much reduced, and in 1955 it was completely destroyed by gravel digging. Excavations carried out by Dr St Joseph in 1938 and later, revealed five periods of occupation, four of them Flavian. A temporary fort, rather more than an acre in area, defended by a ditch and perhaps a palisade, was followed by a second enclosure, defined by a large ditch cutting off the level summit of the plateau (1 1/2 acres) from rest of the hill. An annexe, also of about 1 1/2 acres, was attached to this enclosure. No buildings were associated with either of these periods. After part of the site had been levelled, a permanent fort, measuring about 260ft by 475ft within the ramparts, was laid out and equipped with timber buildings. The next period was marked by a complete rebuilding of the commandant's house. Some sheds were also rebuilt, but the rest of the fort did not appear to be involved in the reconstruction.
In the Antonine period, the fort was equipped with a new ditch system and on one side, a broader rampart, but only here and there had traces of internal wooden buildings survived. To judge from the small finds, which included two silver coins of Domitian, a bronze lamp, querns and iron work, the Antonine occupation was not a prolonged one. The proportion of Flavian to Antonine pottery is high. Filled-in sleeper-trenches and empty holes from which the main gate-posts had been pulled out, indicated a deliberate demolition when the site was finally abandoned.
Air photographs taken in 1953 show clearly the course of the two ditches that enclose an annexe attached to the SE of the fort (J K St Joseph 1955).
The coin found in 1831 was a denarius of Augustus; it was in the possession of T Brown, the estate proprietor, in 1837. Fragments of Roman pottery from the fort site are in Paisley Museum, donated in 1952-3 by Mrs C H Rock.
J K St Joseph 1952; 1949; 1947; NSA 1845 (R Stirling); Paisley Museum 1953
When visited in 1962, most of this fort had been destroyed by sand and gravel quarrying operations. At the S corner, some earthworks of the SE annexe of the fort remained. A bank ran from the quarry fence downhill for about 50.0m; this appeared to be the continuation of a field baulk which continued towards the road. Another bank, 1.2m high, bifurcated from it and curved slightly SSW for a short distance before turning sharply E to meet the baulk again. Both this short angular stretch and the upper part of the field baulk appeared to overlie an earlier bank, possibly the W side of the annexe; 10.0m S of this point is a fragment of another bank, cut by the later baulk. Below it again was a terrace, possibly indicating the double line of defence noted by St Joseph.
A very slight ploughed- down scarp was all that could be made out of part of the inner S side of the annexe.
Visited by OS (JLD) 19 October 1962
All remains of the Roman fort have been completely destroyed by quarrying.
Visited by OS (RD) 17 March 1966
The outline of the fort was supplied at 1:2500 from plans donated by Dr St Joseph.
Information from J K St Joseph letter and plans, 5 July 1966.
When visited in 1973, it was seen that only a small sector low down the slope on the E side had not been quarried away. A section through the fort ditches and annexe rampart was exposed. The annexe bank clearly post-dates the ditches; the ditch with which it was associated would have lain further SSE. Two sherds of samian pottery, now in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, were found.
D L Kennedy 1976
The banks noted in 1962 have now been levelled and fall within the quarry limits. All that can be seen on the east side is spoil with well established grass growing upon it; there is now no evidence of any early structures.
Visited by OS (BS) 18 July 1978
Pottery, labelled as Roman pottery from Loudoun Hill, is in the collection of the Ayrshire Natural History and Archaeological Society, housed in the Carnegie Library, Ayr. Iron wheel fragments are held in the collections of the Museum and Art Gallery Department of the Kyle and Carrick Library Service, Rozelle, Ayr.
A S Robertson 1954
