Ythan Wells

Ythan Wells is a Roman Camp or castra site situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.(RCAHMS, 2005) The site is situated at the headwaters of the River Ythan, where a series of natural springs supply potable water, that was convenient for the large marching camp installed here by the Romans in the first few centuries AD. The name "Ythan" is thought to have originated from an old Pictish word of Brythonic origin meaning gorse. The site comprises approximately 120 acres (St. Joseph, 1977) and was first discovered in the year 1785.

The Roman legions established a chain of very large forts at Ardoch, Strageath, Inchtuthil, Battledykes, Stracathro and Raedykes, taking the Elsick Mounth on the way to Normandykes, thence proceeding to the northerly camps of Ythan Wells, Deers Den and Glenmailen. (Hogan, 2007)

ee also

*Deers Den
*Ythan Estuary

References

* [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/glenmailen.htm RCAHMS Database: Ythan Wells Roman Marching Camp, Aberdeenshire (2005)]
* St. Joseph, J.K., "Air Reconnaissance in Britain, 1973-76", J.R.S. lxvii, p.143 (1977)
* [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18037 C. Michael Hogan, "Elsick Mounth", The Megalithic Portal, ed Andy Burnham (2007)]

External links

* [http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/towns/townfirst5461.html Its entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland]
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