Muiryfold

Muiryfold
Alternative name(s) Grange
Type Marching camp
Location
Coordinates 57°33′23″N 2°51′22″W / 57.5563°N 2.8562°W / 57.5563; -2.8562
Site notes
Condition Cropmark
Excavation dates 1959
Archaeologists Kenneth St Joseph
The Muiryfold and the Roman fort of Cawdor are located near Inverness. They were considered between the northernmost places of Roman conquest and presence in Britannia, until the recent discovery of Roman military presence at Tarradale & Portmahomack.

Muiryfold was one of the Roman fortifications built by Septimius Severus in northern Caledonia (modern-day Scotland). The site is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Keith in Moray.

Discovery and excavation

The site was discovered by aerial photography in 1959, and two small trenches were excavated across the north west and south east sides by Kenneth St Joseph the same year.[1]

The camp was almost rectangular, measuring 784 metres (2,572 ft) from north west to south east, and 522 metres (1,713 ft) from north east to south west, covering an area of just over 41 hectares (100 acres).[1]

History

In 210 AD, the Emperor Septimius Severus made an attempt to conquer all Caledonia reaching the Moray Firth. He created a huge marching camp at Muiryfold,[2] near the one created in 84 AD by Agricola at Auchinhove.[3]

The possibility that Agricola and Septimius Severus reached the northernmost area of Scotland can be confirmed by discoveries north of Inverness, specifically at Portmahomack on the Dornoch Firth,[4] and Tarradale on the north shore of the Beauly Firth.[5]

The Roman legions in the first and second century established a chain of very large forts at Ardoch, Strageath, Inchtuthil, Battledykes, Stracathro and Raedykes,[6] taking the Elsick Mounth on the way to Normandykes before going north to Glenmailen, Bellie, Balnageith and Cawdor.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Moray SMR.
  2. ↑ Aerial photos of Muiryfold
  3. ↑ RCAHMS: Muiryfold
  4. ↑ RCAHMS: Port A'Chaistell
  5. ↑ Google Book: Tarradale, a possible roman camp. p. 176
  6. ↑ The Roman Gask Project

Bibliography

See also

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