SfO Excavation of a Camp at Mouswald. 



List of Armorial Bearings Noted in Dumfriesshire anp 

 Adjacent Counties. By J. B. Irving, The Isle, Holy- 

 wood. 



[This valuable contribution has been reserved for publication 

 in subsequent volumes.] 



Report on Excavations of a Camp at Mouswald. By Mr 

 R. C. Reid of Mouswald Place. 



In the autumn of 1909 the attention of the Society was 

 drawn to a rectilineal camp close to the high road above Mous- 

 wald Village. The site is within a few yards of the march 

 between Dormont and Mouswald Place estates. It is on 

 Townhead Farm, which forms part of the former property. 

 The field is numbered 286 in O.S. of 1858. 



A cursory in.spection of the camp was made by Mr Barbour 

 and Professor Scott-Elliot, and it was decided that some 

 excavations should be started at an early date in order to ascer- 

 tain if possible the nature and period of the camp. Owing to his 

 close proximity to the site, Mr Reid was asked to take charge 

 of the excavations. 



Accordingly, on June 10th, 1910, operations were com- 

 menced. The camp at first sight appeared to be rectilineal, 

 but on being measured it was found that the side, in which 

 was the only gateway, was eliptical, curving outwards. The 

 length of this side, facing W., was 252 feet, and the length 

 of the corresponding side, facing E., was 183 feet. The 

 remaining two sides both measured 149 feet. The field is of 

 poor quality, the soil being only a few inches deep, beneath 

 which was a very hard clay till full of small stones. 



The camp is clearly marked on the O.S. of 1851, as having 

 a ditch with a double rampart on each side of it. Only one 

 gateway is shown. Since then the field has constantly been 

 ploughed, almost obliterating all traces. 



In starting operations two trenches were dug, one through 

 the middle of the east ditch and rampart. It was found that 

 from the outside of one rampart to the inside of the other 

 measured 31 feet. The ditch was V shaped, measuring 15 feet 

 across at the present level, and going down as deep as 5 feet 



