Site of Normandykes Roman marching camp

Normandykes (Grid Reference: NO 830994)[1] is the site of a Roman marching camp 1 mile (1.6 km) to the southwest of Peterculter, City of Aberdeen, Scotland.[2][3] The near-rectangular site, measuring approximately 860 by 510 metres (940 by 560 yd), covers about 106 acres (43 ha) of the summit and eastern slopes of a hill overlooking the River Dee and the B9077 road further south.[4] Aerial photographs for Normandykes have been archived between 1947 and 1976.[5] The camp is about 6 miles (10 km), or less than half a day's march, north of the Raedykes camp. It is possible that the actual route taken would have entailed one day's march, over a route likely chosen to avoid the Red Moss, a virtually uncrossable bog near the present day village of Netherley.

Normandykes was first mentioned as Norman's Dyke and interpreted as a Danish Camp in 1795,[6] but then corrected in the New Statistical Account of 1845 as Roman.[7]

The camp was first excavated in the year 1935 by Richmond and MacIntyre;[8] construction is thought to date to the Antonine or Severan periods.

The site is designated a scheduled ancient monument.[9]

See also

References

  1. Landranger 45, Stonehaven and Banchory, 1:50000 (2004); Explorer 406 Aberdeen and Banchory, 1:25000, United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map
  2. Temporary Marching Camp: Normandykes, Peterculter, Grampian (2004)
  3. St. Joseph, J.K., Air Reconnaissance of North Britain, J.R.S. xli (1951) p. 65
  4. Crawford, O.G.S.Topography of Roman Scotland North of the Antonine Wall, Cambridge, England pp. 110-2 (1949)
  5. RCAHMS Site Record for Normandykes Hilton; Oldtown; Peterculter Photographs (2004)
  6. Sinclair, Sir John (1795). The statistical account of Scotland, drawn up from the communications of the Ministers of the different parishes, Vol. XVI. Edinburgh: William Creech. p. 388.
  7. Committee for the Society for the Sons and Daughters of the Clergy (1845). New statistical account of Scotland, Vol. XII. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood & Sons. p. 108. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  8. RCAHMS Archaeology Notes: Normandykes (2003)
  9. Historic Environment Scotland. "Normandykes,Roman camp (SM2478)". Retrieved 26 February 2019.

57°05′06″N 2°16′59″W / 57.085°N 2.283°W / 57.085; -2.283


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