Elginhaugh

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Elginhaugh Roman Fort

Elginhaugh is the most completely excavated timber-built auxiliary fort in the Roman Empire. The site (GPS coordinates 55°53’40”N, 3°05’09”W) of the Flavian (1st century) fort lies 1km to the West of the modern town of Dalkeith in the county of Midlothian in Scotland. The fort, discovered in 1979 from aerial reconnaissance, takes its name from the nearby hamlet of Elginhaugh. The primary role of the fort was to guard the nearby ford where Dere Street, a vitally important north-south Roman route, crossed the river North Esk. The fort’s occupation has through excavation been closely dated to AD 79-87. The fort, along with its large civilian annexe, was fully excavated during 1986-87 by Dr William Hanson, Professor of Roman Archaeology at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

References William S Hanson: A Roman Frontier Fort in Scotland: Elginhaugh (Sept 2007) ISBN-10: 0752441132 ISBN-13: 978-0752441139

William S Hanson: Elginhaugh: A Flavian Fort and Its Annexe (Nov 2007) ISBN-10: 0907764347 ISBN-13: 978-0907764342

Gordon Maxwell: A Gathering of Eagles: Scenes from Roman Scotland (1998) ISBN 1 84158 384 7