OS1/19/10/125

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[Page] 125
Parish of Fetteresso

found. "In this neighbourhood" says General Roy, (P. [Page] 86,87.) "we are to look for the Scene of the celebrated battle for
the nature of the country seems to point out that the Caledonians would take post on the Grampian Mountains
towards their eastern extremity, where the plain becomes narrow, from the near approach of that lofty range to
the Sea". - Of this great number of Camps, undoubtedly Roman, in the valley of Strathmore, General Roy,
who accurately surveyed them, and measured their Contents, expressly affirms that the one at Grassywalls
on the Tay is about the Same Size as the large Camp at Ardoch, which according to the Polybian establishment
would contain three legions with their auxiliaries, or 25 or 26,000 men, being the whole force of Agricola,
and expresses no doubt of its having been occupied by the very Same army which was previously encamped
at Ardoch. In the same manner, he Surveyed the camp at Battledykes, and he observes, "It appears to me
to be one of most entire of the kind hitherto discovered, at the same time that the similarity of its figure
and its dimensions prove indisputably that it held the Same army formerly encamped at Ardoch and Grassy-
walls" (P. [Page] 85.) With these words before his eyes, it would be difficult to Say what evidence could Satisfy
Mr George Chalmers that Agricola and his Army ever passed the Tay. It is, however, but doing that gen-
tleman justice to acknowledge, that in most other parts of his Caledonia he is not disposed by any
means to be so incredulous. - From the Camp at Fordoun to Stonehaven is about twelve miles, an ordinary
Roman march, at which the Grampian Hills approach So near to the Sea that the army of Agricola could
not have marched farther to the north without passing through them, as it will be found that under another
leader, the Romans afterwards did. Their Square-formed Camp, of which the traces have only of late been obliter-
ated, was upon an extensive plain above the New Town of Stonehaven, and hard by the lately erected church
and Minister's house of Fetteresso. The Caledonian Camp was pitched at Re-dykes (Re, a King) above the house
of Urie, upon the face of the hills directly opposite to that of Agricola, at the distance of not more than two miles,
while he had the Sea within somewhat less than a mile in his rear. This Camp of the Caledonians was formerly
Supposed to have been Roman, being an awkward imitation of their mode of encampment, fortified with a
wall [continued on page 126]

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