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Cropmarks of Roman temporary camp, comprising a large camp with attached annexe. First discovered by Melville on 10th August 1754 and described by Roy (published 1793), it was the least well preserved of the camps in Strathmore at the time having been half-obliterated by cultivation. Roy's plan shows parts of the north-west, north-east and south-west sides. This temporary camp, also known as Battledykes, has been associated with the campaigns of the emperor Septimus Severus (circa AD 208-110). It occupies gently sloping ground on the right bank of the Cruick Water immediately north of East Mains of Keithock farmhouse. Roughly rectangular in plan, it measures about 640m from northeast to southwest by 410m transversely, enclosing an area of some 26ha (64 acres), and a small rectangular annexe measuring about 117m by 109, enclosing an area of 1.27ha (3 acres) is attached to the northwest side. Titulae have been identified at four of the camp's six gates, all except the north and the southern of the western gates. There are no traces visible above ground, although Crawford believed that part of the ditch was extant and saw a short cropmark in clover in 1939 to the south-west of the south-west side (possibly a titulus). The layout of the camp has been gradually revealed by aerial photography by CUCAP from 1945 to 1979 and by the RCAHMS in 1977 and subsequently in 1982. St Joseph conducted a small excavation on the northeast side in 1967, recording that all but the lowest 13cm of the ditch had been ploughed away. The work indicated a ditch about 0.9m in width at the top. The south-west corner has probably been damaged by the buildings at East Mains of Keithock.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Angus
HER -
NO66SW0001 - KEITHOCK