Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown Roman fortlet in Scotland beneath the back gardens of three homes in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire. The discovery, linked to the Antonine Wall, emerged from research by GUARD Archaeology and points to a small Roman military site built as part of the frontier’s defenses.
The remains were first identified in 2017 during archaeological work carried out before development at three neighboring properties. The landowners funded the work under planning conditions required by East Dunbartonshire Council.
The first investigation revealed the base of a turf-built rampart set on stone footings. Historic Environment Scotland then recognized the site as an important chance to learn more about the ground just south of the Antonine Wall, a World Heritage Site. It was later commissioned for further excavation and research.
That work uncovered a ditch running alongside the structure, filled with peat, timber, and plant material. A geophysical survey also detected buried stone features that archaeologists believe may be remnants of the Antonine Wall itself.
Roman fortlet in Scotland linked to Antonine Wall defenses
Maureen Kilpatrick of GUARD Archaeology said the key finding was the layout of the remains. She said the stone base and the accompanying ditch ran at a right angle to the Antonine Wall in this part of Bearsden, making the discovery especially important.
Radiocarbon testing of wood recovered from the base of the ditch returned a date range of 127–247 AD. Archaeologists said that fits the period when the wall was in active use and the years shortly after its abandonment. Two pieces of Roman pottery were also found beneath the stone base.
The Antonine Wall was constructed after 142 AD on the orders of Emperor Antoninus Pius. It ran roughly 37 miles across central Scotland, linking Bo’ness in the east with Old Kilpatrick in the west.
While Hadrian’s Wall to the south was a stone structure, the Antonine frontier was built from stacked turf on top of a stone foundation. The Romans held it for only about two decades before pulling back to Hadrian’s Wall in the 160s AD.
Roman-Era remains found near the Bearsden wall route
The fortlet occupied elevated ground next to the wall, and researchers said it would have offered soldiers a wide sightline over the territory to the north, which Rome never controlled.
A larger garrison fort stood on lower ground a short distance to the west, and the two sites were within direct view of each other. Kilpatrick said this arrangement indicates the fortlet formed part of a broader defensive system, with small detachments stationed at such posts to monitor the frontier.
Analysis of plant material and fossilized beetles recovered from the ditch gave researchers a picture of the local environment at the time of construction.
The land around the fortlet was largely given over to grazing, broken up by patches of woodland that had been partially cut back. The dominant tree species were alder, hazel, and willow, alongside lesser quantities of oak and birch, while grasses covered much of the cleared land.
Researchers said the Bearsden find also shows how the planning process can lead to important archaeological discoveries.
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