Brain Teaser 1301 Answers

Carzield (pron Careel) 



Google Earth Reference

Thanks again to Morag and John Williams and to Naimh Wallace.  This is a brief summary contains much of the information they gave.  If you are interested in knowing more, please contact the blog 

Antoninus Pius was the Emperor at the time of the Roman Fort

Roman Troops were pushing North from Hadrian's Wall to build the Antonine Wall.

The place photographed is Carzield Roman Fort.  It is located on the road that runs from Portobello Cottage to Connansknowe. These roads run on the main streets of the Roman Fort. The photographs were taken on the road (Via Decumana) at the junction of the back entrance to the old manse now known as Glebe House, and the road leading down to Netherholm Farm, (Via Principalis) to the right of which is the entrance to Carzield House Drive.

Probably the most significant owner of Carzield estate and home farm was Ninian Williamson (1841-1922) who was an army surgeon. Kirkmahoe Church still benefits from a legacy bequeathed by him.

Kirkmahoe former manse was built in 1723 and substantially altered in the late 18th Century to the designs of John McCracken.

Unfortunately, all evidence of the Roman fort's interior administrative and accommodation buildings has completely disappeared.  The defences at the southern corner-angle along with 300-foot (c.100m) lengths of the two adjoining sides are all that remain visible to the modern visitor. There is a small annexe attached to the north-eastern side of the fort which is visible on aerial photographs and may become apparent at certain times of the year as vegetative marks.

The Roman buildings were replaced by a medieval tower which was later converted into a farmhouse before itself being levelled.  Both the Roy map and the first series of Ordnance Survey maps show a number of houses at this location. 

 The laying of the new water main in 2011 provided an opportunity to test the validity of the plan of the fort that had been drawn as a result of the 1939 excavation on the fort site. The evidence uncovered would appear to confirm that the plan was largely correct; the only error on the 1939 plan was that the alignment of the fort in relation to the current roads was a few degrees out.

 More information is available from the following websites:

www.guard-archaeology.co.uk/carzielNews.html

www.roman-britain.org