Beyond the Antonine Wall!

[louiepastore1]

Hi all....

Recently the Antonine Wall was nominated to become a World Heritage Site as part of an initiative involving three other European countries.

But few people realise that the Antonine system included a Roman causeway stretching across the Clyde, together with roads, fortlets and signal stations through Bishopton Inverclyde and Largs. It would be a great boost to tourism in this area if they were included as part of this World Heritage Site proposal!

If you haven't visited these sites I have put together a virtual tour of the locations in the form of 3D animations & video-clips which can now be found at:

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

They include a walk into the middle of the Clyde across the roman causeway that spanned the river during the Antonine period and a tour through the forts and roads in the area!

Other clips include Dumbarton Fort in 570AD and the Crannogs which used to sit on the shores of the Clyde.

Louie

[McDink]

IMPRESSIVE rendering and certainly informative. I never knew there was a causeway across the Clyde. Was the crannog modelled on the Oakbank Crannog on Loch Tay?

[louiepastore1]

Originally Posted by McDink

IMPRESSIVE rendering and certainly informative. I never knew there was a causeway across the Clyde. Was the crannog modelled on the Oakbank Crannog on Loch Tay?

Cheers McDink....

Yes, despite living in the area all my life I only found out about the causeway when I was doing research for the Time Team's 'Big Roman Dig'.

I also researched the available material on the Loch Tay crannog reconstruction and used it as part of my modelling & special fx assignments for a hons degree in 3D animation at Paisley Uni.

louie

[Somarlidh]

Hi Louie
I have for some time now been on the lookout for the Roman road from the fort at Bishopton to the River crossing on the Clyde. There is a small section of the road at the Railway, below the fort.There appears to be another section of Roman road, visable in a field at the end of the road which runs past the Bishopton fort.
I have some ideas of some possible sites for other Roman Structures around the area.
I enjoyed your vids on Lurg moor, about the fort and surrunding roads this is an area that i've visited on a few occasions

Cheers Steve

[louiepastore1]

Hi Steve

Many thanks for your comments, I was aware that part of a road was in the vicinity of the railway and that roman material had been found in Slateford in 1976 was donated to the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, by the finder D A Cunningham. The items found comprised a small sherd of coarse Roman pottery, a small bronze spoon, a small bronze cap, a bronze coin of Gratian (367 - 383 AD), another bronze coin of Theodosius (379 - 395 AD), and a bronze disc, 26 mm in diameter with a loop eyelet for sewing. A further three items, found in the marshes at Longhaugh by Cunningham in the following year. They were: a limestone gaming counter inscribed with a goddess feeding a snake at an altar, a bronze pin, 3 mm square in section, 75 long, and a copper coin 20 mm in diameter.

The date of the coins are interesting suggesting the route was still in use long after the Antonine system was supposedly abandoned. (This was the period when we had the Strathclyde Kings with Roman titles and if the coins were in circulation for a few years before they were dropped, they may have been lost during the reign of King Ceretic Gulectic (Coroticus) who was accused by St. Patrick of selling Christians to the Picts and the Scots as slaves. 420-475)

I visited the Whitemoss Fort (and Barochan) but failed to notice the road section you mentioned. I have been trying to trace the route of the roman road between Bishopton and Greenock and would be very interested to hear your ideas on the Roman structures in the area.

Regards,
Louie (Gourock)

[Somarlidh]

Thre appears to be the just visable remains of the roman road, which i think ran between the Bishopton fort and Greenock just west of High Hatton. On the 1:25000 scale map of Greenock Explorer 341, the old Greenock Road from Bishopton runs past High Hatton just as the (very striaght) road turns sharply left, there is a field in which you can trace the continuation of a road. A couple of years ago i spoke to the farm hand of a local farm, he confirmed the existance of this road thro' the field. He also mentioned his father, who spoke of a Roman fort at Linburn, i'm unable to find any evidence of this anywhere.
When looking at the map, the Old Greenock Road appears very straight until the sharp turn west of High Hatton, the roads straight line contiues on after the small rise in the field.
There is a small elevation just at the entrance to Bishopton, on again the old Greenock road.There is no evidence, but this rise at map ref 443708, looks ideal for a watch tower, perhaps just a romantic idea.But the street next to it is called Camphill Gardens.

[louiepastore1]

Hi Somarlidh

Thre appears to be the just visable remains of the roman road, which i think ran between the Bishopton fort and Greenock just west of High Hatton. .

I'll need to revist the area again to have a look, it's not mentioned on any archaeology reports as far as I'm aware. If this road followed the line of the Old Greenock Road it would fit in with the bronze coin, said to be of Nero, which was found at Gleddoch farm (at approximately NS 388 727, on the N side of the road. A S Robertson 1963) although I've still to find a link that would take me uphill to the Lurg Moor road.

Roman fort at Linburn, i'm unable to find any evidence of this anywhere.

Yes, a report briefly mentions an enclosure at a high point in that area but nothing else. Other Bishopton area finds include
(NS47SW 58 c.43 71.) A worn bronze coin of reign of Constantine I (Constantinopolis) of c.AD 337, from uncertain eastern mint. Found in sand dunes by D A Cunningham.
A S Robertson 1984

(NS47SW 9 43 71.)
An Alexandrian coin of Aurelian and a bronze coin of Constantius II were found on or before 1946 at Emerson's Farm, Bishopton.
A S Robertson 1963

(NS 447 708). A fragment of mortarium found near Rossland (by-pass) by D A Cunningham was donated by him to the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow.
DES 1977

There is no evidence, but this rise at map ref 443708, looks ideal for a watch tower, perhaps just a romantic idea.But the street next to it is called Camphill Gardens

Interesting, I know that archaeologists believe there were probably a lot more signal stations along the roads.

I came across this old report on Whitemoss that may be of interest
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsd...83_028_032.pdf

Regards,
louie

*******************************************************
Hi Brewster
Thanks for the comments!!!

However, it would also be beneficial if other areas (particularly south of the wall) were also included or at least highlighted as part of the European Frontiers of the Roman Empire!

I agree!!! Regarding the area I've been researching, I've contacted my local MP whose looking into it on my behalf

Louie