Description

This monument comprises a Roman camp and a section of the Antonine Wall with attached fortlet. The camp lies in the fields to the north and north-east of Dalnair Farm. The Antonine Wall runs across the northern part of the field to the north-east of Dalnair, and into Seabegs Wood.

This proposal forms part of a programme which is intended to update the scheduling of the Antonine Wall, and extends the protected area along this part of the line of the Wall. It replaces two existing scheduled areas with a single new one.

The camp lies on a ridge of higher ground, overlooking the line of the Antonine Wall to the N. The camp would probably have housed troops working on the construction of the Wall and the nearby fortlet. The monument originally comprised a rectangular camp defended by a rampart of turf and earth and a single ditch. The defences have been flattened by ploughing but the ditch still survives and shows up as a dark line on aerial photographs. The photographs also show up short lengths of ditch which would have protected the entrance gaps on the northern and eastern sides.

The Antonine Wall has been cut by the Forth and Clyde Canal and the modern road immediately to the north of the camp, but is present in the next field to the north-east, running eastwards up a slope to the higher plateau where the fortlet is sited. The Antonine Wall at this location consists of the rampart, the ditch, the berm (area between rampart and ditch) and the upcast mound. Although the monument is largely flattened, it is likely that substantial remains of the frontier system survive along this length. Excavations in 1977 revealed the presence of the fortlet, which was of one build with the Wall, which changed course to allow for the fortlet site. The north side of the fortlet was formed by the Antonine Wall, but with an entrance gap through the rampart, although, as with other fortlets, there was no causeway crossing the ditch. The other three side walls of the fortlet consisted of a 3m wide stone base on which a rampart of turf or earth would have been laid, with a second entrance in the southern wall. Double ditches lay on the east and west sides. The fortlet measured 21m N-S by 18m E-W internally. The Roman road known as the Military Way would have passed close by the southern gate.

The area to be scheduled includes the camp, the Antonine Wall rampart, berm, ditch and upcast mound, the fortlet, and an area to the N and S where traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the monument may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map extract. The scheduled area is in two parts: the part immediately to the north of Dalnair measures a maximum of 170m E-W by 230m N-S. The second part lies on the eastern side of a modern road, and takes in the western and northern parts of a large field. This L-shaped area measures a maximum of 150m E-W by 120m N-S.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a major Roman frontier system which has the potential to increase considerably our understanding of Roman frontier policy and military organisation. The camp may have been used to house soldiers employed in construction of the Wall and fortlet. The ditches and interior of the fortlet and camp may be expected to contain material relating to the construction of Roman defensive structures as well as the social and economic background of the sites. The Antonine Wall is the most substantial and important Roman monument in Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the camp as NS87NW 9 and the fortlet as NS87NW 10.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland