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Air Reconnaissance of Roman Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

O. G. S. Crawford
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Extract

On 6 June I started from Southampton to carry out an investigation of the Roman roads and sites in Scotland from the air. For several years, as part of my official duties, I have been examining these on foot, in pursuance of a plan to publish a third edition of the Ordnance Survey Map of Roman Britain. It is intended to prepare the way for this map (which may be published on a slightly larger scale—10 miles instead of 16 miles to the inch) by the publication of maps of special regions on the scale of 4 miles to the inch. The drawing of the first two of these (Scotland, Sheet 3 [Forth and Tay], and Sheet I [The Border]) had been finished; but many doubtful points remained even after intensive field-work, and it seemed probable that a short air reconnaissance under favourable conditions would solve some of them. This opinion was amply justified by results. About a dozen new Roman sites (including as ‘ sites ’ new stretches of Roman road) were discovered; about 50 new sites in all, including many native forts, were placed on the map; and valuable results of a general character were obtained.

Type
Research Article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 13 , Issue 51 , September 1939 , pp. 280 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 1939

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References

page 280 of note * See note on page 292.

page 280 of note ** My own observations have been made over, for publication in greater detail, to Mr K. St. Joseph, who is undertaking trial excavations for the Glasgow Archaeological Society at a number of the sites, as part of this Society’s scheme of investigation of Roman works in southwest Scotland.

page 283 of note * North of Little Clyde Mr St. Joseph traced its course in 1938 through Upper Clydesdale to Crawford. Thence it goes over the Raggengill pass to join the Clyde valley again near Coldchapel. At Wandel it falls into the modern road with which it seems to coincide to Candeyburn, north of Biggar. There is a perfect stretch of it south of Melbourne, on the moor east of the modern road. I found a mile of it between Dolphin-ton and Hardgatehead from the air. There is another well-preserved section north of West Linton. In both these last instances it is plainly distinct from the metalled (18th century ?) road which runs more or less parallel to it at a considerable distance. It is last seen for certain, with quarry-pits, on the hill above Walstone. I discovered it last winter. Mr St. Joseph has referred me to Maitland (1, 193) who says it reached the ‘eastern end of the Pentland Hills, in the neighbourhood of which it is to be seen pointing to the station at Cramund ’. The Annandale road thus ran towards Edinburgh rather than Glasgow, as has previously been supposed, and never went to the fort at Corbiehall near Carstairs; though of course there may have been a branch thither separating off perhaps near Biggar.

1 The bare austerity of its outline is not improved by recent planting on the SE slope, close to the corner of the Roman siege-camp

2 Watson, , Celtic Place-names of Scotland, 59 Google Scholar

3 History of Scotland, 1757, 1,194 Google Scholar

4 Maitland, , Hist, of Scotland 1757, 1,200.Google Scholar For the name and its associations see Watson, Celtic Place-names of Scotland, 313.Google Scholar

5 The rigg and furrow system at Culter is visible on the original photograph, but is obscured by a cloud-shadow. I observed this carefully at the time with this very point in mind, and satisfied myself about it.

6 Roy investigated it in 1771 (M.A. 108).