OS1/9/15/86

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 86

County of Dumbarton -- Old Kilpatrick Parish

Remains of Roman Wall} Continued

[continued from page 85]
the coffin contained, Remained in the office of the
Milton Mill of Duntocher for a long time. It was
there about 30 or 40 years ago. Mr Wright, Mr Barr of Milton Mill & Mr McGowan
of Auchentoshan Farm, are the authorities upon which the "Ocean Field" , as the place where Roman Pottery was found, is adopted. Near the
Fort of Duntocher several Roman Remains have been brought to light at different times; of which the Querns found in
digging the foundation of the Church (Quod Sacra); the Legionary Stone; and the vault, near the "so-called Roman Bridge",
at the places marked on the Examination Trace, as pointed out by Mr Wright, are the whole of what appears to be
Known with the places they were discovered. Mr Barr's authority given for the Querns at the Church only is also
quoted for Pirns being found there too, but no other authority mentions Pirns being found at this place. The New Statistical
Account states that "Roman Querns have often been found in the adjacent places. One was found in digging the foundation of a new Church in connection with the establishment." The Legionary Stone as stated by Mr Wright was taken to the Museum in Glasgow. The vault
upon the last authority, who has the story from a Grandsire and who considers that it must be about from 70 to 90 years since it
was found, was not above the height of a man; to the best of his recollection the walls were smooth, and a few burnt sticks were scattered over the floor, which was earthen. This was believed, Mr Wright says, to be a Roman work, but unless it be the Sudatorium (a bath)
described in the Caledonia Romana (P. [Page] 299), there is nothing in the Accounts of the place to correspond with
the information obtained on the ground. It says "In one part of the Sudatorium the floor was supported by 144 square
pillars of brick of a beautiful pale red the under ones being 8, & the upper ones 21 inches square. On the top of these, as at
Inveresk, was spread a layer of lime mixed with gravel, 5 inches in thickness." Other circular vaults are mentioned at Duntocher
in the Romana, "about 4½ feet deep & 10 in diameter; the walls and floor were of hewn stone the roof of bricks;
and what says a good deal both for the skill of the builder and the strength of the cement employed, this ceiling was not arched, but
perfectly flat." An individual who, it says in the last authority - the Romana, was the first to venture into this vault, was alive
in 1844, but no information of this person could be obtained. Besides the objects mentioned about the Roman Bridge &
the Station above it, there was a "Small Votive Altar", as it is called in the 'Romana, which was built into the gable end of the
Miller's house adjoining the Bridge. The mill and dwelling are now away parts of the ruins still stand on the north-west of the Bridge.
What became of the Stone can't be ascertained in the locality. The well known "Roman Bridge" as it is called is regarded by the
author of the Romana, as well as by Genl. [General] Roy "as a work of later times - built most probably, with the stones which had been taken from the ruins of the adjoining Station". Traces of the Station are still discernible as represented after the manner of the [ ]
Ditch of the Wall. To the South-East of the Station, on the Farm of Broadfield, another Leg: [Legionary] Stone was found as stated in the Romana but there is nothing known of it in the place. ___ The hollow of the Fosse or Ditch of the Roman Wall in this Ph. [Parish] presents four distinct appearances at the present time (1861), the deepest of which is about equal to an ordinary cutting, but not as regular & defined on the top. Care has been taken in the representation to show as accurately as can be the actual width now occupied by the hollow. Generally, in the Parish there is not much known of the course of the Ditch where it is in any way faint. This occurs between the Station of Duntocher & the Roman Bridge, and to the north west of the village where it is faint & lost sight of for some distance. At Sandyford too the very slight track shewn is authorized upon that of an old Tenant now away from the place - Where the Remains of the great Ditch crosses the "Cleddans Burn" on the Eastern Boundary of the Parish, coming from the Station on Castlehill, & over Hutchison Hill in New Kilpatrick Parish, the Traces of the South side of the Ditch are very steep as it passes along a ridge falling to the old road on the north side below. From this point to the Station of Duntocher on the Golden Hill, as pointed out in parts by Messrs Morton, Miller & Harvey, the hollow varies as represented in one part becoming disconnected. At one part of that described on the Farm of Broadfield, the line of the Military Way is found by unusual quantities of stones in the fields on both sides of the road which joins the old road, to the south of the Ditch, coming from the East side of Braidfield farm. Parts of the Fosse as well as the trenches of the Fort on the Golden Hill, were, as stated by Messrs Harvey & Wright, so steep about 30 years ago that the Ditch was wrought in drills with the spades. Some remains of what appears to have been a double rampart & Ditch, is to be seen at the north-west angle of the Fort in a plantation on the line of the Ditch, which as stated in the Cal. [Caledonia] Romana, was, according to Gordon, protected by two ramparts, which a ditch between them - i.e. the Fort. From this corner of the Fort the north-west to the Roman Bridge, a faint hollow is observable down the hill, at the bottom of which, there are trees adjoining the dwelling house beside the Bridge An authority has been found for this portion which Mr Wright says was at one time a fence with a deep drain or ditch, but from its appearance & its direction agreeing with the line on the top of the Hill it has been adopted [ ] on the track. The Caledonia Romana says it is doubtful where the exact place was that it crossed Dalmuir Burn - properly "Duntocher Burn", as it is authorized. Through the houses of Duntocher it is lost of course, but as stated by Mr Wright the hollow was visible some 40 years ago before they were built, & in the Titles of some of the Fues near, the properties have been described as bounded by this "[Saugh] ditch". The track of the Fosse is again seen to the north-west of the R.C. [Roman Catholic] Chapel on the north side of an old road, and is more or less visible to the field of Sandyford where the last remains are traceable in the Parish in direction of the Fort on Chapel Hill. This position is shewn upon the authorities of Messrs McGowan, Black & Bowman. As stated by Mr. McGowan of Auchentoshan a portion of the Military Way remains are found to the north west of his Farm house at the west corner of the plantation and to the south of the Ditch. At Sandyford about six years ago while clearing away the old T.P. [Turn Pike] Road to the north of the present Road, a portion of the Causeway of the Military Way described by Mr. Findlay, Schoolmaster, was discovered laid together compact a little below the surface. A Tree in the hollow of the Old Road, which leaves a hollow very similar to the track of the Ditch, is opposite the spot where the causeway was found in the Road which runs northwards to the farm of Mountblow. The course of the great Ditch westwards of the Sandy ford was continued to the south of & close to three Ash trees which stand in a field of Mount Pleasant, at the angle formed by a fence & a paling below the Trees . No person in the Parish knows the course it took from the Trees to the Chapel Hill Station, the last of the Forts of the Wall. Persons of 80 years & upwards in the place referred to for information do not know it to Chapel Hill


[In left hand margin]
Legionary Stone?

23/10

Transcriber's notes

Unable to transcribe this line for line towards the second half of the description: lines too long.
Also some words lost in fold.