Fourmerkland
Temporary Camp (Roman)
Site Name Fourmerkland
Classification Temporary Camp (Roman)
Alternative Name(s) Burnside Of Baltersan
Canmore ID 65936
Site Number NX98SW 5
NGR NX 91502 80052
NGR Description Centred NX 91502 80052
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/65936
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Holywood
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Nithsdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
NX98SW 5 centred 91502 80052
See also NX98SW 66 and NX98SW 67.
(NX 9150 8005) A Roman marching camp, nearly square, occupies part of a level summit bounded to the S by the river and to the N and E by marshy ground.
When visited, there were no traces of this camp on the surface.
Information from J K St Joseph 1949, visited 4 September 1949.
No trace visible on ground. Area mainly under crop at time of visit.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 29 June 1964
A Roman Temporary Camp is visible as cropmarks on air photographs.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
Scheduled (with NX98SW 66 and NX98SW 67 ) as Burnside of Baltersan, ring ditch, pits and Roman camp.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 11 May 1993.
Publication Account (17 December 2011)
Discovered in 1949 by St Joseph from the air as cropmarks (1951: 60), the camp at Fourmerkland lies on level ground above the Cluden Water, a tributary of the River Nith. The camp measures 245m from west to east by 215m transversely, enclosing 5.2ha (almost 13 acres). Entrance gaps protected by tituli are visible in all four sides, with the position of the side gates suggesting that it faced in an easterly direction.
A pit-defined Neolithic cursus is visible in the interior of the camp, and a further probable camp lies just under 300m to the north (Fourmerkland II).
R H Jones
Aerial Photographic Transcription (3 May 2012)