Antonine Wall: Castlecary

Castlecary fort was one of 16 known forts along the Antonine Wall, which was built across Scotland’s central belt from AD 140. The wall formed the north-western frontier of the Roman Empire.

Whilst not as famous as its Southern counterpart, the Antonine wall was one of the largest projects undertaken by Romans in Scotland. Constructed in around 142 AD, it stretched from Old Kilpatrick on the west coast to near Bo’ness in the east, the Antonine Wall was around 37 miles (60km) long.

The Castlecary site is today bisected by the Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line, which enters at the north-east corner and exits just south of the fort’s western gate. The north side of the fort was in line with the Antonine Wall’s ramparts, with the defensive ditch beyond.