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.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM11365_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013946)

Summary

Description

The monument is a Roman road of 1st-century date, which forms part of a system of Roman military sites considered to be the earliest material evidence of a Roman frontier system from anywhere in the Empire and believed to have been in use from Agricola's third campaign in AD 79/80 until the system was abandoned in AD 86/87.

The Roman road consists of a camber running in a straight line from SSW to NNE for a distance of about 590m. It measures about 10m wide and rises to a height of up to 30cm above the surrounding ground surface. At several points a slight ditch is visible along the edge of the camber, particularly on the W side. This may be contemporary with the camber, though it could be associated with more recent forestry operations. Beginning from its SSW end, the road runs along the edge of a recently-felled conifer plantation for a distance of about 230m before running along a narrow forest ride through mature conifer plantation for about 280m. Towards its NNE end, it emerges from the plantation and runs for a further 80m before its definition is lost in the decent of a steep slope towards a disused railway line.

Although well-preserved for most of its length, the road has been damaged at several points by forestry operations.

The area to be protected is sub-rectilinear with maximum dimensions of 600m SSW-NNE by 30m transversely, bounded on its SE side by a modern fence for a distance of 240m, as marked in red on the attached map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of Roman road networks construction. It is a particularly well-preserved and coherent stretch of road for this part of Scotland.

References

Bibliography

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.