Blackhill Wood

Gask Ridge Signal Station

Four-posted, roughly 12 ft. square, timber watch-tower defended by two circular ditches and a turf-revetted gravel rampart, close to the northern-most east gateway of the 130-acre marching camp, now much damaged by rabbits. The outer ditch, 74 ft. in diameter, was about 8¼-11¼ ft. wide by 1-1¾ ft. deep (2.5-3.4 x 0.3-0.5 m) and was cut by the eastern defensive ditch of the large camp, while the inner ditch, 47 ft. in diameter, between 6½-8¼ ft. wide by about 1¾-2¾ ft deep (2-2.5 x 0.5-0.8 m), was overlaid by the gravel rampart of the camp, both of these facts prove that the watch-tower was built first, the camp being dated to the Severan campaigns.

References for Blackhill Wood

  • Air Reconnaissance in Britain, 1973-76 by J.K. St. Joseph in J.R.S. lxvii (1977) p.135;
  • Britannia xxix (1997) p.405; Britannia xxix (1998) p.377

Map References for Blackhill Wood

NGRef: NN8410 OSMap: LR53

Roman Roads near Blackhill Wood

None identified

Sites near Blackhill Wood