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'Dere Street': Border - Newstead - Elginhaugh

Roman Road (Roman)

Site Name 'Dere Street': Border - Newstead - Elginhaugh

Classification Roman Road (Roman)

Alternative Name(s) Gilmerton

Canmore ID 51675

Site Number NT26NE 76

NGR NT 2999 6828

NGR Description NT 2999 6828 to NT 2800 6999

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51675

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

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT26NE 76 2999 6828 to 2800 6999 RR 2

Formerly RR8g.

Beyond Elginhaugh, the course of the modern A7 must surely approximate to the Roman line. From there for 2.6km north-westwards to the summit of the ridge at Gilmerton the A7 proceeds for the most part, in a further series of short straight sectors which deviate but little from the main alignment. Although two more extensive deviations occur in the modern route, it is noteworthy that the original line is soon returned, and at the deviation immediately south-east of Gilmerton air photographs taken during a commercial survey in July 1973 actually record the parch-mark of a metalled surface continuing the straight alignment across the chord of the divergent arc. On the summit of Gilmerton hill there was evidently a major change of alignment to the north, the road pointing a little way to the west of Edinburgh Castle Rock, presumably to avoid the extent of open water later known as the Burgh Loch. Only the first 3km of this sector is still preserved by the A7, which displays the same characteristics as in the previous stretch, short straight alignments and minor deviations.

G S Maxwell 1983; RCAHMS 1988.

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