Antonine Wall

The earliest recorded history of Roman Falkirk begins in 82 AD when the Roman General Agricola launched his invasion of Caledonia. He built a line of forts from the Forth to the Clyde in order to keep the wild natives at bay and to protect his legions. This was later replaced by the Antonine Wall, a ditch and rampart fortifications. Within today's Falkirk, the line of the wall passes by way of Callendar Park, Arnothill and Camelon. Further west it is at Watling Lodge and Rough Castle, that the best surviving sections are to be found.

The Antonine Wall was built at the successful completion of a campaign in southern Scotland undertaken by order of Antoninus Pius probably motivated by a need for military prestige to strengthen his position as the new emperor of the Roman empire. The walk, like its predecessor built under the reign of Hadrian, would have been intended to divide the island into two.

Impressive half-mile long, seven-ft deep stretch of the 38-mile long (61km) barrier consisting of turf and earthen rampart on stone foundation with wooden palisade built across the narrowest part of Central Scotland from Carriden on the Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the Clyde. On a continuous scarp that borders the valley, forts attached to the south side of the rampart provided accommodation for the garrison and were linked by the Military Way, a cobbled road allowing men and supplies to travel quickly along the wall. Remains of Roman bathhouse with hypocaust floor for the fort in Falkirk town centre were discovered west of the park in Kemper Avenue, 1980.

Contact

Mr Jack Anderson

Falkirk
FK1
Scotland