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Continued entries/extra info

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Dumbartonshire -- Cumbernauld Parish

Remains of Fosse or Ditch of Roman wall / Continued

[continued from page 25]

In the Caledonia Romana it is stated that
"It is generally believed that a Garrison Station
had existed near their eastern extremity, at a point
distant some 3200 yards" - about a mile & a half - "from the Barhill Fort." The distance given would agree
with the part remaining. but there is not anything more remarkable about this place, nor at any other
part of the Hill. in the shape of remains intrenchments &c. One thing remarkable is, that no remains
of the Military Way are to be seen here, where from the rough imcultivated nature of the ground
it might be expected to be preserved in some manner. Through a great part of Croy Hill the fosse has
been cut through the solid whinstone RocK; shewing, in some places, that the fosse had been dispensed
with on the outer side [b]. Some very feeble remains of the rampart, considered to be such [b] see Cal. Romana Page 333]
from the turfy nature of the soil of which it is composed, and different from the RocKy bottom it stands
upon. may be seen on the west of Arniebog (Trace 1-20-13) as represented on Trace. Very little of the
Military Way remains, or the position of the site known. At Westerwood (Trace 1.20-13) the remains
of a Fort are traceable, but they are very faint. - The Fosse or ditch presents, in this Parish
five different appearances, and in order to insure the representation of it in its present state, consistent
the different parts have been numbered on the Examination Traces, and the attached Index
given to illustrate its varied appearance both on the ground, & on the Plan. The parts
numbered 1, represent the faintest appearance, showing where the ground commences to fall towards the
bottom. Throughout the Parish care has been taken to shew the exact width of the fosse as it at present remains
as well as the depth and the breadth of the bottom - where it admits of being shewn. Those parts
numbered 2 represent the hollow as being deeper than No. [Number] 1; No [Number] 3 has a better defined top, & is considered
to be in tolerable preservation - the height from the bottom to the level of the top, averaging from 3 to 6 feet
above the bottom of No [Number] 1. No. [Number] 4 is nearly equal to an ordinary cutting - on a Railway, for instance, but
not so bold or regular on the top. No. [Number] 5 is a steep and well defined Cutting or slope and is the
best part of the Ditch in the Parish.
The Remains of the Fosse or Ditch, where it enters Cumbernauld Parish, on the eastern Boundary, coming from the Fort of Castlecary in
FalkirK Parish , Stirlingshire , over the "Red Burn" (Trace 4.20.10), may be seen in excellent preservation at the bottom of the
embankment for the viaduct of the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway. From the Burn to the point described all traces are effaced. From here to
the Farm of Arniebog, the remains vary on the ground as represented on the Examination Traces. Upon the authority of the
Farmer of Tollpark, James Forrester, with whom the portion above described, along with A. Kirkwood. Garnhall. & W. Chalmers
Arniebog, was identified on the ground, the former found, about ten years ago, large freestones [c], wrought with a pick [c] See Cal. Romana Page 272] on the south side of the Fosse, in the field adjoining the Parish Road west of TollparK (Trace 3.20.13). A little distance
west of Arniebog beside a P. [Parish] Road some traces of the Rampart are to be seen as described above. Through the lands
of Westerwood and as far as the point where the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway again crosses the line of the Fosse
as pointed out by the Farmer of Westerwood & William Stark. E. [East] Dullatur, the remains vary as represented, shewing
it to have a marshy bottom at one part. & forming a pond for cattle near the same place; through
the wood to the point crossed by the Railway the ditch forms a deep & wooded ravine, having a small
stream running at the bottom. After crossing the Railway there is a pond at the foot of the embankment
formed upon the Fosse, & the hollow is Slightly preserved a few feet on its n. [north] east side about where it crosses the margin line of the Trace. (6.xixa160 The traces are lost from the bottom of the Ry. [Railway] to the houses of E.[East] Dullatur. From here to the enclosures of Croy Hill, as shown on the authority of T. Duncan Esqr. & W. StarK, the remains are varied from the faintest to the representation of the best defined parts. At one part on W. [West] Dullatur lands the Pr. [Proprietor] shewed by digging a spade in the ground, on the top of the Fosse on the south Side, great numbers of dressed freestones about a foot square, but this part is in Cultivation & Shews nothing on the surface. Through the rough grounds of Croyhill, upon the same authorities, the field adjoining W. [West] Dullatur forms a marshy bottom in the Fosse. & through the whole of Croy Hill the Course of the ditch is very rough & cut through the solid rock in some places. Many natural hollows were no doubt made use of here. These are shewn on the Traces where admittable. On passing out of Croyhill & out of the Parish in direction of the Barhill Fort, in Kirkintilloch, the Track is indicated by a marshy piece of of ground in two places. Some natural indentations on, or near the margin of Trace 3.25-3 appear like the course of the wall but this is disagreed with by every one about. The ditch is unconnected from the west end of the grounds of Croy Hill, & is not again found until near the Ph. By. [Parish Boundary]. This is the worst part in the Parish.