Scheduled Monument

Antonine Wall, Golden Hill Park, Roman fort, annexe and bathhouseSM7070

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
02/02/1999
Type
Roman: Antonine Wall; annexe; bathhouse; fort; fortlet; military way
Local Authority
West Dunbartonshire
Parish
Old Kilpatrick
NGR
NS 49513 72699
Coordinates
249513, 672699

Description

This monument is a section of the Antonine Wall which runs up to the top of Golden Hill from the W. It includes the surviving remains of one of the Antonine Wall forts.

The fort is a complex structure of three phases, including an early fortlet, a later fort and annexe. The fortlet was defined by a rampart and ditch with an entrance on the NW side. The fort and annexe were defined by ramparts and had three ditches on the SW and SE and a single ditch to the NE.

The Antonine Wall has an additional outer ditch to protect the fort and annex from the N. To the NW is the site of the bathhouse of the fort. Faint traces of the earthworks of the fort and fortlet survive in the park and a small area of rampart base within a fenced enclosure is visible between the fort and the bathhouse sites.

This proposal forms part of a programme which is intended to improve and update the scheduling of the Antonine Wall.

The area to be scheduled is a maximum of 270m WNW-ESE by a maximum of 184m N-S, to include the Antonine Wall rampart, berm (area between rampart and ditch), ditch and upcast mound; the fort and annexe and their associated ditches, and an area to the N and S where traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the Wall may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

The scheduled area is defined on its W side by the boundary of the park. At its NW corner the scheduled area follows the boundary around the Parish Church and then skirts around the War Memorial. The scheduled area then follows property boundaries along the river bank and then runs 30m NE of the N limit of the Antonine Wall ditch, to include the upcast mound and an area beyond it in which traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the Antonine Wall and the fort may survive.

The south boundary of the scheduled area is marked by the edge of the park except that the SW corner of the park is excluded. The top 50cm of the surface of the playground and of the paths within the scheduled area is excluded from the scheduling to enable minor repair and alterations to these areas without the need for scheduled monument consent.

Statement of National Importance

This monument is of national importance as part of a major Roman frontier system which has the potential to increase considerably our understanding of Roman frontier policy and military organisation. The Antonine Wall is also the most substantial and important Roman monument in Scotland. The fort is one of at least 18 Roman forts on the Antonine Wall military frontier. It is of particular importance because, with the exception of its S corner, it has not been built upon.

References

Bibliography

No Bibliography entries for this designation

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

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Printed: 03/04/2026 23:10