Castle Greg
Encyclopedia
Castle Greg is the archaeological remains of a Roman
fortlet near Camilty Plantation, approximately three miles south-east of West Calder
, West Lothian
, in Scotland
.
The site is less than an acre in size, and lies just off the B7008. It is one of the best preserved Roman earthworks
in the country and was first excavated in the 19th century by Sir Daniel Wilson, the interior excavation having taken place in 1852.
The remains take the form of two defensive ditches protecting a clearly visible rectangular rampart
. Originally, these ditches would have been at least fifteen feet in depth. The rampart behind the ditches still stands up to five feet high in places, though obviously, this would have been far higher when the fortlet was in use. On the rampart stood a wooden palisade
, at least ten feet high, with a walkway running the length of the fortlet.
There is an entrance through the rampart at the eastern end, over which would have stood a wooden tower attached to the walkway.
Very little remains of the flat interior of the fortlet, although it is known that within there would have been two rows of barracks
, between which there was a well. There would also have been a stable block.
During the 1852 excavation of the interior, pottery was discovered from the well between the two barracks.
Castle Greg was a most likely used as a monitoring base for an east-west road running along the foot of the nearby Pentlands
, from the Forth
to the Clyde Valley.
Although the fortlet currently commands no long-distance views, during the 1st century AD, when the fort was in use, the surrounding countryside was not forested, and Castle Greg would have been able to view clearly up to the Fife
coastline and the mountains beyond.
The name Castle Greg is possibly derived from the Roman name Camulosessa Præsidium, from nearby Camilty, itself derived from Camulos Tref – literally, village of Camulos.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
fortlet near Camilty Plantation, approximately three miles south-east of West Calder
West Calder
West Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland, located 4 miles west of Livingston. The village was an important centre for the oil shale economy in the 19th and 20th Centuries. West Calder has its own railway station. It is also has the most northerly centre of the Dogs Trust, closely followed...
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The site is less than an acre in size, and lies just off the B7008. It is one of the best preserved Roman earthworks
Earthworks (engineering)
Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving or processing of quantities of soil or unformed rock.- Civil engineering use :Typical earthworks include roads, railway beds, causeways, dams, levees, canals, and berms...
in the country and was first excavated in the 19th century by Sir Daniel Wilson, the interior excavation having taken place in 1852.
The remains take the form of two defensive ditches protecting a clearly visible rectangular rampart
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
. Originally, these ditches would have been at least fifteen feet in depth. The rampart behind the ditches still stands up to five feet high in places, though obviously, this would have been far higher when the fortlet was in use. On the rampart stood a wooden palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
, at least ten feet high, with a walkway running the length of the fortlet.
There is an entrance through the rampart at the eastern end, over which would have stood a wooden tower attached to the walkway.
Very little remains of the flat interior of the fortlet, although it is known that within there would have been two rows of barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
, between which there was a well. There would also have been a stable block.
During the 1852 excavation of the interior, pottery was discovered from the well between the two barracks.
Castle Greg was a most likely used as a monitoring base for an east-west road running along the foot of the nearby Pentlands
Pentland Hills
The Pentland Hills are a range of hills to the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The range is around 20 miles in length, and runs south west from Edinburgh towards Biggar and the upper Clydesdale.Some of the peaks include:* Scald Law...
, from the Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
to the Clyde Valley.
Although the fortlet currently commands no long-distance views, during the 1st century AD, when the fort was in use, the surrounding countryside was not forested, and Castle Greg would have been able to view clearly up to the Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
coastline and the mountains beyond.
The name Castle Greg is possibly derived from the Roman name Camulosessa Præsidium, from nearby Camilty, itself derived from Camulos Tref – literally, village of Camulos.