Earthwork record MAB45377 - RAEDYKES CAMP

Remains of a Roman temporary camp, built probably in the late 1st century AD during the early Roman occupation of north east Scotland.

Remains of a Roman temporary camp, built probably in the late 1st century AD during the early Roman occupation of north east Scotland. It is the best preserved Roman earthwork in the region and much of the circuit of rampart and ditch, which encloses 38.9 ha (96 acres), can be seen. At various points the rampart measures up to 5.1 m in width and 0.8 m in height. The plan of the camp is most irregular, to suit the terrain and enclosing Garrison Hill, but conforms to the orthodox rules in having opposed gates protected by traverses. It measures around 663m from north-northwest to south-southeast by a maximum of 590 m transversely. Defences were strengthened in direction of expected attack, namely the two north corners and the east side. The east ditch was V-shaped and the east rampart was higher and broader than elsewhere. On the south and west sides, Garrison Hill slopes rather steeply so the defences were not so strongly made. This weakness may be compensated by a formidable earth rampart running parallel to the south side. It has a deep ditch on the southeast angle, now used as a drainage channel. Four entrance gaps with tituli are visible, in the centre of the north-northwest side, two on the east-northeast side and one on the south-southeast side. A further entrance gap is visible at a change of alignment in the south part of the west side. The camp of Raedykes was fist recorded by Maitland in 1757, and planned by George Brown and Barclay in 1778. Excavations were carried out by Macdonald in 1914. Crawford suggests that it is Agricolan in date and the most convincing of the many alleged sites for the Battle of Mons Graupius in AD84. St Joseph contends that it is Severan and places it in his 120 acre category, despite MacDonald's statement that its area is only 93 acres. The angle in the southeast side occurs at entrance 'C' and not to the west of it, as shown on MacDonald's plan. Similarly the southeast angle has been repositioned. The outer earthwork terminates at the northeast end on marshy ground, and at the southwest end on the steepening slopes of the ridge. It comprises a strong earth-and-stone rampart with a ditch facing southeast along which is a modern ditch. Two breaks occur across the rampart, of which the more westerly is either caused or accentuated by a drainage ditch. The position of the earthwork relative to the marching camp, 230 m to the south , effectively blocking any approach along the ridge from a low hill to the southeast, confirms that it is an outwork to the camp. It is parallel to the south-southeast rampart of the camp. Historical finds from Raedykes include two Roman hastae (spears), a small hoop or ring of iron and a complete wheel. A linear earthwork (NO88NW0022) circa 230 m south of the camp has been presumed to be Roman in date and associated with the camp as an additional defensive earthwork.

Period Notes
c. 83 AD

EX 20-24, EX 20-24 (Ground Photograph). SAB16184.

McDONALD, G, 1916, PSAS 50(1915-16) 317-59, 317-59 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1225.

CRAWFORD, OGS, 1949, TOPOGRAPHY OF ROMAN SCOTLAND, 108, 130-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB245.

ST JOSEPH, JK, 1959, JRS 59, 104-28, 93 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1897.

ST.JOSEPH, JK, 1969, JRS 59, 104-128, 118 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1802.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p.137 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

MURRAY, J. C., 2002, PARK-STONEHAVEN: WATCHING BRIEF ON 33KV LINE, pp2-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2938.

WATCHING BRIEF

JONES, R. H., 2011, ROMAN CAMPS IN SCOTLAND, 296-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB925.

Jul 5 1949 , DE 53-5, DE 53-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16181.

Jul 9 1971 , BGA 90, BGA 90 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16167.

Jul 15 1959 , AAF 39-41, AAF 39-41 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16182.

Jul 22 1960 , ACC 54-8, ACC 54-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16183.

Jul 28 1945 , D 54-5, D 54-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16180.

Jul 30 1966 , APV 74, APV 74 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16166.

Jul 31 1977 , CDV 30, CDV 30 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16179.

May 23 1986 , GA 29-36, GA 29-36 (Ground Photograph). SAB16185.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 15/11/2011 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

RCAHMS, n.d., N KINC LIST, No198 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1509.

Sep 23 2008 , DG9825-6, DG9825-6 (Ground Photograph). SAB19872.

Sep 23 2008 , DG9828-9, DG9828-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB19873.

Record last edited

Apr 7 2026 10:46AM