Site Report

WoSASPIN 12036
NX 1870 9900
For Girvan Mains, West camp (NX 1900 9915), see NX19NE 24.
In April 1993 Scheduled Monument Consent was granted by Historic Scotland to carry out a geophysical survey, by magnetometer, of 1 hectare within within the scheduled Roman camps at Girvan, Ayrshire, in advance of the proposed construction of a sewerage pipeline. The work was carried out by Geophysical Surveys of Bradford, under the direction of the author and on behalf of Bullen and Partners, consulting engineers to Strathclyde Regional Council Sewerage Department.
Aerial survey by RCAHMS in 1989 recorded additional linear cropmarkings which substantially altered the interpretation of the cropmark evidence. When plotted by RCAHMS, they appeared to indicate that the NE to SW dimension of this camp was a little over 350m.
The survey was carried out using a Fluxgate Gradiometer and recorded two weak linear responses. Both appear to provide evidence for continuations of previously-identified elements of the camps into areas where the variable subsoil of the raised beach has not allowed the definition of archaeological features as cropmarks. This new information has profound implications for the interpretation of the sites' layout and helps to confirm that the two would not have functioned contemporaneously. The provision of a beach head at either site would have allowed the camps to fulfill the function of a base for Agricolan combined army and naval operations around the Scottish coast.
The suggested continuation of the E ditch of the camp on the line of the NW to SE magnetic anomaly is similarly precise in its alignment with existing aerial photographic date. If correct, this raises the possibility that this camp was also considerably larger than previously suggested, covering an area of at least 13 ha. It also appears to have extended close to the sea-shore and encompassed the sea cliff, which had previously been suggested as an inhibiting factor to a more extensive camp.
P W Cox 1993.

NX 183 990 In November 1993 GUARD undertook a two-day assessment on the line of the proposed rising main which is to form part of a new sewerage scheme designed to serve Girvan.
The pipeline was identified as having a possible impact upon this camp. Though the full extent of this camp remains unclear, it was thought likely that the pipeline would dissect its defensive perimeter at some point along its SW side.
An eleventh hour decision to alter the pipeline route led to the placing of the two trenches very close to the mean high water mark at the edge of Girvan Golf Course, potentially beyond the corner of the camp. The first was located over a linear grassmark at Strathclyde Sewerage's request. This 'feature' could be seen on the ground and was not known to correspond with any modern pipelines; it also followed an alignment commensurate with a projection of the known length of the SW side of the camp into the area occupied by the golf course. Excavation, by hand, revealed this to be non-archaeological in origin.
The second trench was located some 1Om-12m from the coastline and measured 20m by 1m in extent. Also excavated by hand down to the natural sand subsoil, one probable archaeological feature was recorded. It appears to be a pit, at least 1.20m deep and filled with water-worn cobbles. Time restrictions prevented the full excavation of the feature, though it was determined that its N edge was steep sided and sloping, and that it possibly had a rounded base. The S edge was far less clearly defined and in plan appeared to dissipate gradually towards the S end of the trench. There were no finds.
Although no traces of the defences of the small marching camp were encountered during the assessment, the ultimate location of the trenches precludes any authoritative judgement on the presence or absence of the camp within the land now occupied by the golf course.
Sponsor: Strathclyde Sewerage.
S Bain and A Leslie 1994.