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Normandykes - Fochabers

Roman Road (Roman)(Possible)

Site Name Normandykes - Fochabers

Classification Roman Road (Roman)(Possible)

Alternative Name(s) 'Roman Road'; Whiteford To Govals; Pitcaple

Canmore ID 173649

Site Number NJ72NW 131

NGR NJ 7270 2599

NGR Description NJ 7270 2500 to NJ 7015 2999

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/173649

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeenshire
  • Parish Inverurie
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District Gordon
  • Former County Aberdeenshire

Archaeology Notes

NJ72NW 131 7270 2500 to 7015 2999. RX 18.

(Formerly LIN 513)

NJ 786 165 to NJ 565 463 Crawford (1949) examined stretches of the road, finding no evidence of Roman origin, and came to the conclusion that it was simply a medieval road from Aberdeen to the NW.

Information from OS (ES) 25 October 1972.

OGS Crawford 1949.

NJ 7293 2573 to NJ 7236 2620 The 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire 1870, sheet xlv) records a stretch of an alleged Roman Road (RRX 513) running NW through a plantation to the NE of the farm at Govals (NJ72NW 130). It is annotated as 'supposed site of' and is shown crossing the River Urie to the remains of an earthwork described as a 'Roman Camp' on the 1st edition map (NJ72NW 11). This stretch of road formed part of an alleged Roman Road that ran from the River Dee to the Spey near Fochabers.

Information from RCAHMS (ARG), 20 November 2000.

The alleged Roman road may have crossed the River Urie near the earthwork E of Whiteford (NJ72NW 11) near NJ 7245 2615. From Whiteford onwards the road possibly underlies a minor modern road from NJ 7215 2615 to the N which runs through Durno (NJ 7160 2820), heads to the NW and passes along Sunside (NJ 7020 2955). From this point, it is speculated that the Roman road may head in a NW direction and shoulders St. Andrew's Hill (NJ 7015 2980).

Information from RCAHMS (no date).

Activities

Field Visit (2011)

NJ 7277 2584 – NJ 7288 2579 Pitcaple This section of road, with flanking banks, is marked as ‘Roman’ on the 1st Edition OS map, but clearly isn’t. However, it is well constructed and measures a substantial c11m from bank top to bank top. A road is shown in this general position on Roy’s map and the road might therefore be of military construction or, at least, an imitation constructed at a similar date in the early 18th century.

Colin Shepherd, 2011

References

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