Cropmark record MAB64925 - KAIR HOUSE

Roman marching camp.

Roman marching camp. The camp at Kair House in the Howe of the Mearns was first recorded from the air in 1945, although the area had been noted as a potential site for the Roman army by Roy (1793). Subsequent aerial survey has recorded most of all four sides as a crop marks. The camp lies along the south west part of a small hill above the Bervie Water, some 15km from the coast at Inverbervie. It is also located almost midway between the large camps of Raedykes and Balmakewan. The camp measures around 870m from north east to south west by about 600m transversely, enclosing an area of some 53.5ha. A titulus is clearly visible in the centre of the south west side, and a possible titulus in the north east side, just to the west of the road. Given this size of the camp it is assumed that it probably had six gates. Most of the camp lies in arable fields, but a small stretch of upstanding rampart survives on the north east side. The rampart is spread about 3.7m wide and measures 0.3m high in the plantation, and is 5.4m wide and up to 1.1m high in the grass, although it is increasingly disturbed and reduced as it approaches the road. A watching brief was carried out in November 2003 on groundworks for a new electricity pole, but no features or artefacts were recorded. A watching brief was carried out by SUAT in April 2004 during groundworks for an underground cable from Kair House, recorded a ditch with a U-shaped profile (see NO77NE0078): its location suggests that it is not part of the Roman camp, and a sample from the ditch fill was radiocarbon dated to 1030 - 1250 AD. A watching brief was carried out by MAS in August and September 2006 during creation of a horse riding school, stables and garage at Kair House, but no archaeological features or artefacts were recorded. A collection of Roman (and more recent) coins were recovered circa 20 years ago from a field within the camp.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dating: SUERC-3586 sample from ditch feature (2004 exc) 880+/-35 BP, calibrated to 1030 - 1250 AD. The camp itself is possibly the most northerly of the series associated with the Severan campaigns (c. AD 208-11).

KC/662 (1976), KC/662 (1976) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15736.

KC/722 (1977), KC/722 (1977) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15737.

ST JOSEPH, JK, 1951, JRS 41, 65 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1866.

ST JOSEPH, JK, 1958, JRS (1958) 93, 92-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1896.

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

MAXWELL, G, 1980, SAF 12, 40, 40 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1254.

SUAT, 2004, Arch watching brief Kair House (Bibliographic reference). SAB3360.

WATCHING BRIEF

MURRAY, J. C., 2007, DES VOL7, 2006, P.14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4556.

WATCHING BRIEF

JONES, R. H., 2011, ROMAN CAMPS IN SCOTLAND, 241 (Bibliographic reference). SAB925.

Aug 1 1946 , Q 87-91, Q 87-91 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15740.

Aug 1 1971 , BHB 34, BHB 34 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15760.

Aug 10 2022 , PUB-GR-22-08-001 - 004, PUB-GR-22-08-001 - 004 (Ground Photograph). SAB35895.

Feb 28 1970 , BEB 1-2, BEB 1-2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15758.

Jul 5 1949 , DE 41-2, DE 41-2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15742.

Jul 7 1989 , AAS/89/04/S10/7-9, AAS/89/04/S10/7-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15738.

Jul 9 1971 , BGA 74,83, BGA 74,83 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15759.

Jul 10 1970 , BDC 62-3, BDC 62-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15757.

Jul 14 1951 , GP 95, GP 95 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15743.

Jul 14 1951 , GQ 1-2, GQ 1-2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15744.

Jul 14 1959 , AAF 1-4, AAF 1-4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15748.

Jul 15 1947 , V 5-10, V 5-10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15741.

Jul 15 1958 , XC 38-45, XC 38-45 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15747.

Jul 15 1959 , AAF 35-6, AAF 35-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15749.

Jul 17 1955 , RF 16-7, RF 16-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15745.

Jul 19 1961 , ADY 22-5, ADY 22-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15751.

Jul 19 1978 , CES 9-10, CES 9-10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15769.

Jul 20 1977 , CDE 3-5, CDE 3-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15768.

Jul 21 1963 , ALX 34, ALX 34 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15752.

Jul 22 1960 , ACG 40-53, ACG 40-53 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15750.

Jul 22 1973 , BOG 77-8, BOG 77-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15762.

Jul 25 1968 , AVW 32-6, AVW 32-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15755.

Jul 25 1975 , BUC 75, BUC 75 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15765.

Jul 25 1975 , BVD 1-5, BVD 1-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15766.

Jul 26 1946 , M 7-9, M 7-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15739.

Jul 26 1967 , ATH 88-9, ATH 88-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15754.

Jul 27 1969 , AZE 94-8, AZE 94-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15756.

Jul 28 1945 , D 87-95, D 87-95 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15771.

Jul 28 1972 , BKF 77-8, BKF 77-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15761.

Jul 28 1973 , BOP 58-9, BOP 58-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15763.

Jul 30 1966 , APV 88-94, APV 88-94 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15753.

Jul 30 1979 , CHG 76, CHG 76 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15770.

Jul 31 1957 , VZ 1-3, VZ 1-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15746.

Jul 31 1974 , BQZ 101-3, BQZ 101-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15764.

MURRAY, J.C., n.d., KAIR HOUSE, FOURDOUN - ARCH WATCHING BRIEF (Bibliographic reference). SAB2959.

WATCHING BRIEF

RCAHMS, n.d., S KINC LIST, No161,273 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1512.

Oct 22 1976 , CAE 65-9, CAE 65-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15767.

Record last edited

Aug 26 2024 2:22PM