DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22272#0089
the antonine wall report.
71
far below the vallum, which stands back from the rocky brow
overhanging the ditch.
Croy.—Section No. 11.
[Vallum only, including expansion, sectioned.]
The third ridge of Croy has twin heights. Section 10 is on
the eastern and higher. The western is less than 90 yards
distant, and there is only an inconsiderable dip in the ground
between the two. Along this the vallum runs, making at a
stone dyke in its course a slight swerve southward, rendered
necessary by the break in the hill face—the steep slope of the
hill northward from the vallum direct to the fosse. Section
No. 11 is 264 feet west of section No. 10, and occupies a height
about 30 feet lower. It is 93 feet west of the stone dyke just
mentioned. This is the deepest cutting on Croy Hill, for the
present grassy crown of the vallum is 5 feet 8 inches above
the stone base. Here, as indeed generally along this ridge, the
vallum is externally quite apparent—a round grassy ridge very
clearly above the adjacent level. The brackens grow up to
the side of it, but stop there, not appearing along the crown,
the line of which can be made out a good way off by this
very fact. This section is more than ordinarily interesting;
for one thing, because of the height of the vallum here still
in preservation. But it possesses another characteristic of
exceptional interest. At two places on this slope, there are
observable distinct swellings or expansions of the vallum—that
is to say, the vallum, normally a mound showing on the surface
a base breadth of perhaps 20 feet, bulges out on the south face
for about half-a-dozen yards to a width of at least twice that
distance—the expansion being roughly semicircular, and wholly
on the south side of the vallum. This section (Croy No. 11)
is at one of these southern expansions, which have now attracted
considerable attention and deserve careful observation. Some
opinions entertained concerning their nature and purpose are
set forth and discussed elsewhere in this Report.
This section, however, goes through the vallum only, and
71
far below the vallum, which stands back from the rocky brow
overhanging the ditch.
Croy.—Section No. 11.
[Vallum only, including expansion, sectioned.]
The third ridge of Croy has twin heights. Section 10 is on
the eastern and higher. The western is less than 90 yards
distant, and there is only an inconsiderable dip in the ground
between the two. Along this the vallum runs, making at a
stone dyke in its course a slight swerve southward, rendered
necessary by the break in the hill face—the steep slope of the
hill northward from the vallum direct to the fosse. Section
No. 11 is 264 feet west of section No. 10, and occupies a height
about 30 feet lower. It is 93 feet west of the stone dyke just
mentioned. This is the deepest cutting on Croy Hill, for the
present grassy crown of the vallum is 5 feet 8 inches above
the stone base. Here, as indeed generally along this ridge, the
vallum is externally quite apparent—a round grassy ridge very
clearly above the adjacent level. The brackens grow up to
the side of it, but stop there, not appearing along the crown,
the line of which can be made out a good way off by this
very fact. This section is more than ordinarily interesting;
for one thing, because of the height of the vallum here still
in preservation. But it possesses another characteristic of
exceptional interest. At two places on this slope, there are
observable distinct swellings or expansions of the vallum—that
is to say, the vallum, normally a mound showing on the surface
a base breadth of perhaps 20 feet, bulges out on the south face
for about half-a-dozen yards to a width of at least twice that
distance—the expansion being roughly semicircular, and wholly
on the south side of the vallum. This section (Croy No. 11)
is at one of these southern expansions, which have now attracted
considerable attention and deserve careful observation. Some
opinions entertained concerning their nature and purpose are
set forth and discussed elsewhere in this Report.
This section, however, goes through the vallum only, and