DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22272#0113
THE ANTONINE WALL REPORT.
95
to Croy House, where they now arc. They are supposed to have
been part of the western gateway, or of some building connected
with it. On the block along with them, there are figured (1) a
stone from the station showing the Roman broaching, and (2)
a fragment showing a cavity. The military way can still be
traced, more or less distinctly, from a point about 200 yards west
of the public road (leading to Kilsyth) to the entrance to the
station on Barr Hill, a distance of three-quarters of a mile.
Both in the Girnal plantation and in the arable land through
which it passes, the original bottoming is still to be found.
Altar found near Barr Hill.
In the end of the year 1895 Mr. James Wilson, tenant of the
Castlehill field, while ploughing that field, struck with his plough
against a weighty stone. On removal this proved to be the
altar to Silvanus, described by Mr. Haverfield in Appendix I. It
had originally stood, Mr. Park reports, with the inscription
facing east, and was found lying face downwards on the east
side of the base, which remained in position, and which was, of
course, dug out also. The point where the altar stood was about
240 yards north-east of the gateway or entrance of Barr Hill
camp or station, about 55 yards north of the line of the military
way, and about 115 yards south of the fosse of the vallum.
Mr. Park caused the stones to be put in a temporary place of
safety at Easterton of Gartshore, home farm of Mr. Alexander
Whitelaw of Gartshore, where it remained until the summer
of 1898. Having been found on Mr. Whitelaw's estate, it
was his property. It was thought that, as so many other
inscribed stones from the wall had been presented to the
University of Glasgow and placed in the Hunterian Museum,
that would be an appropriate destination for this one also.
Professor John Young, M.D., keeper of the Museum, having
discussed the matter with the Very Reverend Professor—now
Principal—Story, the latter, on behalf of the University, wrote
to Mr. Whitelaw on the subject, with the result that that
gentleman, with much cordiality, agreed to the suggestion, and
in June, 1898, the altar was safely set up in the Museum, where,
95
to Croy House, where they now arc. They are supposed to have
been part of the western gateway, or of some building connected
with it. On the block along with them, there are figured (1) a
stone from the station showing the Roman broaching, and (2)
a fragment showing a cavity. The military way can still be
traced, more or less distinctly, from a point about 200 yards west
of the public road (leading to Kilsyth) to the entrance to the
station on Barr Hill, a distance of three-quarters of a mile.
Both in the Girnal plantation and in the arable land through
which it passes, the original bottoming is still to be found.
Altar found near Barr Hill.
In the end of the year 1895 Mr. James Wilson, tenant of the
Castlehill field, while ploughing that field, struck with his plough
against a weighty stone. On removal this proved to be the
altar to Silvanus, described by Mr. Haverfield in Appendix I. It
had originally stood, Mr. Park reports, with the inscription
facing east, and was found lying face downwards on the east
side of the base, which remained in position, and which was, of
course, dug out also. The point where the altar stood was about
240 yards north-east of the gateway or entrance of Barr Hill
camp or station, about 55 yards north of the line of the military
way, and about 115 yards south of the fosse of the vallum.
Mr. Park caused the stones to be put in a temporary place of
safety at Easterton of Gartshore, home farm of Mr. Alexander
Whitelaw of Gartshore, where it remained until the summer
of 1898. Having been found on Mr. Whitelaw's estate, it
was his property. It was thought that, as so many other
inscribed stones from the wall had been presented to the
University of Glasgow and placed in the Hunterian Museum,
that would be an appropriate destination for this one also.
Professor John Young, M.D., keeper of the Museum, having
discussed the matter with the Very Reverend Professor—now
Principal—Story, the latter, on behalf of the University, wrote
to Mr. Whitelaw on the subject, with the result that that
gentleman, with much cordiality, agreed to the suggestion, and
in June, 1898, the altar was safely set up in the Museum, where,