Earthwork record MAB45373 - NORMANDYKES

Remains of a Roman marching camp.

Remains of a Roman marching camp. The remains of this Roman Camp, which is a Scheduled Monument, lie on top of the broad hill above the old ford across the River Dee. No traces of the west, south or east sides of the camp can be seen in fields which are now cultivated. On the east side, a mutilated earth bank, with a slight ditch on its east side, runs northwards along the edge of the wood to its northeast corner. This bank appears to continue south-westwards from the bend following the edge of the wood, and it therefore may be a later plantation bank. From the northeast corner, a broad bank with a ditch on its north side, runs westwards along the edge of the wood. Here the bank is 6 m wide and circa 2 m high, with a flat top circa 3 m broad, The ditch is 4 m wide. The bank deteriorates as it runs westwards and assumes the appearance of a plantation bank as it approaches the northwest corner of the wood. The site was excavated in 1935 by I. A. Richmond and J. MacIntyre (Richmond 1936) when it was thought to be probably Antonine or Severan in date. It has six gates defended by tituli (St Joseph 1958). Archaeological investigation was carried out by Scotia Archaeology in 2006 following damage resulting from timber extraction in very wet conditions early that year. A trench was excavated along the damaged track which ran parallel to and a few metres north of a drystone dyke. A total of 35 possible features were recorded, of which 14 were concluded to be stone voids, and two others of probably recent origin. Features of archaeological significance comprised 5 or 6 post-pits (two with post pipes visible), a kiln, and at least 12 hearths of varying complexity. Many of the hearths were probably only the remnants of small fires, but three were more complex. The kiln was probably an industrial feature, although it had been truncated and damaged by ploughing and its exact function remains unknown.

AAS/GR/76/CT102, AAS/GR/76/CT102 (Ground Photograph). SAB36664.

SIMPSON, WD, 1943, PROVINCE OF MAR, pp 55-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1676.

SCOTIA ARCHAEOLOGY, 2006, NORMANDYKES ROMAN CAMP, PETERCULTER, ABERDEENSHIRE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION (Bibliographic reference). SAB1776.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2007, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 7, 2006, p. 13 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6508.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/77/4/RB/16, AAS/77/4/RB/16 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB34215.

Jul 22 1993 , AAS/93/12/G23/27-30, AAS/93/12/G23/27-30 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB34216.

Record last edited

Mar 13 2025 12:25PM