Discovery of a Roman Fortlet at Boclair Road, Bearsden
A small but important archaeological discovery was made in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, during investigations carried out in 2017 in the gardens of three houses on Boclair Road. The work revealed the remains of a previously unknown Roman fortlet associated with the Antonine Wall.
Although the work began as routine archaeological monitoring linked to domestic building extensions, the findings turned out to be significant for understanding the military landscape around the Antonine frontier.
Where the discovery was made
The investigation took place at three neighbouring properties known as BR/A, BR/B and BR/C on the north side of Boclair Road in Bearsden.
The gardens lie just south of the line of the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site, which once divided the Roman-controlled territory to the south from the lands beyond Roman rule to the north.
This part of Bearsden already contains well-known Roman remains, including the Bearsden Roman fort and bathhouse, making the area particularly important for studying the frontier system.
How the fortlet was discovered
The discovery began when archaeologists found a linear stone base with kerbstones during trial excavation in one of the gardens (BR/A).
The structure survived as a short section about 5.9 metres long and nearly 3 metres wide, built from unbonded sandstone blocks.
Further work nearby uncovered a ditch filled with peat, wood and plant remains. The ditch ran perpendicular to the line of the Antonine Wall and appeared to be associated with the stone structure.
Together, these features strongly suggested the remains of a small Roman fortlet.
Dating the site
Scientific analysis was carried out on organic materials recovered from the ditch.
Radiocarbon dating indicates that the feature was used between the mid-2nd century AD and the mid-3rd century AD.
This timeframe matches the period when the Antonine Wall was active (around AD 142–165), confirming that the structure was part of the Roman frontier system.
Why this discovery matters
Roman fortlets were small military installations placed along frontier lines to help monitor movement and support nearby forts.
The Boclair Road fortlet appears to have been positioned on higher ground, giving soldiers good visibility over the landscape north of the Antonine Wall—territory that lay beyond Roman control.
It was also intervisible with the nearby Bearsden Roman fort, suggesting it formed part of a coordinated defensive and surveillance network.
A new piece of the Antonine Wall puzzle
Although only small fragments of the structure survive, the discovery is important because it adds another element to our understanding of how the Antonine Wall functioned as a frontier system.
Instead of a simple barrier, the Wall was part of a complex military landscape that included forts, fortlets, roads, bathhouses and supply infrastructure.
Finds like the Boclair Road fortlet help archaeologists reconstruct how Roman soldiers monitored and controlled the frontier nearly 1,900 years ago.
You can read the full technical report at ARO65: Discovery of an Antonine Wall Roman Fortlet at Boclair Road, Bearsden
