Drumquhassle

Drumquhassle
Site of Drumquhassle Roman Fort[1]
Place in the Roman world
ProvinceBritannia
Stationed military units
— Legions —
20th
Location
CountyStirling
Country United Kingdom

Drumquhassle was a Roman fort associated with the Gask Ridge in Scotland.[2] It was found from aerial photography in the late 1970s.[3] The name selected for the fort deliberately made it hard for English born readers to pronounce.[4] The fort was from the Flavian period;[5] it was built and briefly occupied by during the administration of Sallustius Lucullus.[6] It is known as a "Glen-blocker" fort and is located within sight of Loch Lomond.

Location

The fort is located in Stirlingshire, east of Drymen.[7] It is associated with the road running from Loudoun Hill past Barochan towards Malling, Bochastle and Dalginross.[8] This road was therefore on the Highland Boundary Fault Frontier.[9]

It may have been on more than one Roman road.[10] It has been suggested that Drumquhassle might be connected to Doune via the Fords of Frew.[11]

The glenblocker forts ran from Drumquhassle to Stracathro.[12] The fort is about 50 m west of a reliable spring which was presumably the soldiers' main water source.[13]

Finds

An enamelled brooch was found as well as some sling bullets.[14] Pottery from Gaul known as Terra Nigra was also recovered.[15] Several coins were also found.[16]

Forts and Fortlets associated with the Gask Ridge from south to north[17] Balmuildy, Cadder, Castlecary, Mumrills, Camelon, Drumquhassle, Malling, Doune, Glenbank, Bochastle, Ardoch, Sheilhill, Strageath, Dalginross, Midgate, Bertha, Fendoch, Cargill, Cardean, Inchtuthil, Inverquharity, Stracathro[18]

References

  1. ^ "Drumquhassle". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Drumquhassle". CANMORE. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. ^ Woolliscroft, D. J. "Drumquhassle". The Roman Gask Project. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  4. ^ Keppie, Lawrence (September 2010). "The Romans in Southern Scotland: Future Discoveries*". Glasgow Archaeological Journal. 16 (16): 1–27. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  5. ^ MASSER, PAUL; BATESON, DONAL; EVANS, JEREMY; WILLIS, STEVEN; ALLASON-JONES, LINDSAY (September 2010). "Recent Work at Drumquhassle Roman Fort, Stirlingshire". Scottish Archaeological Journal. 24 (2): 147–168. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Drumquhassle Highland Glen Fort". Roman Britain. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  7. ^ "OS 25 inch map 1892-1949, with Bing opacity slider". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  8. ^ Keppie, Lawrence; Newall, Frank. "Excavations at the Roman fort of Barochan Hill, Renfrewshire, 1972 and 1984-1986". Glasgow Archaeological Journal. 20 (20): 71. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. ^ Scottish Naturalist (v.104 (1992) ed.). 1983. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  10. ^ Wilson, Allan (September 2010). "Roman Penetration in Strathclyde South of the Antonine Wall PART ONE: THE TOPOGRAPHICAL FRAMEWORK". Glasgow Archaeological Journal. 19 (19): 1–30. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  11. ^ Page, R.; Page, C. "The excavation of a disused military road at Buchlyvie, Central Region". Glasgow Archaeological Journal. 19 (19). Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  12. ^ Woolliscroft, D. J. "Drumquhassle". The Roman Gask Project. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  13. ^ Woolliscroft, D. J. "FIELDWALKING FINDS FROM THE ROMAN FORTS OF BERTHA, DALGINROSS AND STRAGEATH". The Roman Gask Project. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  14. ^ Woolliscroft, D. J. "ARCHAEOLOGY VERSUS TACITUS' AGRICOLA, A FIRST CENTURY WORST CASE SCENARIO". The Roman Gask Project. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  15. ^ Hoffmann, Birgitta. "Drumquhassle". The Roman Gask Project. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Drumquhassle Highland Glen Fort". Roman Britain. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Gask Ridge". Scribble Maps. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Gask Ridge Map". HeritageDaily. Retrieved 9 June 2018.

56°03′22″N 4°26′08″W / 56.0561°N 4.43557°W / 56.0561; -4.43557