Watling Lodge | |
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Founded during the reign of | Antoninus Pius |
Founded | 142 AD |
Place in the Roman world | |
Province | Britannia |
Structure | |
— Turf structure — | |
Location | |
Coordinates | 55°59′51″N3°49′31″W / 55.9976°N 3.8253°W |
Town | Near Tamfourhill |
County | Falkirk |
Country | Scotland |
Site notes | |
Condition | Ruined |
Watling Lodge was a Roman fortlet on the Antonine Wall in Scotland. [1] It was located near what is now Lock Sixteen on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Falkirk with neighbouring forts at Rough Castle to the west and Falkirk to the east. [2] There was also a fort at Camelon to the north. There was also a Roman temporary camp found a short distance south of the site. [3]
Watling Lodge has been described as the best preserved stretch of ditch from the Antonine Wall still in existence today. [4] It is situated along Tamfourhill Road, south-west of Falkirk. [5] This stretch is excellently preserved. [6] One of the best overviews of the site is the video of the Bridgeness Slab by Falkirk Council, [7] presented by Geoff Bailey, Keeper of Archeology and Local History at Falkirk Museum, from about 4 minutes 30s.
In Falkirk, the site is signposted from the A9 and is accessed from the B816, Tamfourhill Road. [8] There is an information panel fairly close to the top of the wall. [9] The panel shows how the Wall may have looked, and suggests Watling Lodge's place in the grand design of the construction. [10]
Sir George Macdonald wrote about the site. [11] A digital reconstruction of the fortlet has been created. [12] A Minecraft model of the site has also been constructed. [13]
Many Roman forts along the wall held garrisons of around 500 men. [14] Larger forts like Castlecary and Birrens had a nominal cohort of 1000 men [15] but probably sheltered women and children [16] as well, although the troops were not allowed to marry. [17] It is likely that large communities of civilians were located around the site. [18]
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