The excavation was undertaken between October 2005 and May 2006, following on from an evaluation which identified the remains of the Roman Camp ditch beneath the landscaped grounds of the now demolished OKI Factory. Full excavation of the surviving elements of the ditch was conducted and, following the demolition of the factory, it was determined that the camp ditch also survived below the building. This meant that over a third of the total original camp ditch, or approximately 288m length of ditch, was excavated. The surviving elements available for excavation were parts of the north and south ditches and the entire western ditch.
The excavation revealed that the ditch was generally V- or U-shaped, with a vertical sided, flat-based, ‘ankle-breaker’ slot also seen at intermittent intervals at the bottom of the ditch. The ditch varied in width from 1.4m wide to almost 4m wide, and it varied in total depth from 0.6m to approximately 1.4m below the subsoil level. The majority of the camp ditch was well preserved, except for some short lengths destroyed by factory foundations and services.
Two possible entrances were identified on the western arm of the camp, one at the crest of the ridge and one on the southern slope of the ridge. No traverse ditch or other defensive structure had been visible on the air photographs, and none was found to be associated with the entrances. Similarly, no evidence for a rampart could be found, although one is likely to have been part of the original structure. Together the rampart and ditch would have formed a formidable defence encircling the camp, but it is probable that the rampart eroded away after the abandonment of the site.
The camp was evidently not in use for very long, perhaps only a few weeks or months. No evidence was found of any fire pits, post-holes or other internal structures that are sometimes found in Roman camps. Likewise, no pottery or other finds were recovered from the camp ditch that can currently be established as Roman in origin, suggesting either short occupation, or that the ditch was kept thoroughly clean throughout its occupation. A wooden artefact was recovered from the very base of the ditch and could possibly have a Roman origin: it is a rectangular piece of wood that has clearly been worked, with a rectangular mortice hole cut through it and one rounded end. This artefact has yet to be fully analysed in the post-excavation process.
The ditch appears to have filled in naturally, and was evidently perceptible for some time because post-medieval artefacts were recovered from the uppermost fills of the ditch as well as a possible hearth, placed inside the silted-up ditch to shelter the fire from the wind.
Post-excavation analysis is currently ongoing and will hopefully shed more light on the dating and purpose of the camp
The project was funded by Keppie Ltd on behalf of Cumbernauld Retail Park Limited Partnership.
Ross White
(This article was previously published in Scottish Archaeological News)
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